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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. content — the amount
  3. capital — money
  4. capital — a city
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stand — to bear
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. date — the fruit
  16. charge — in control
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. content — happy
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. charge — a price
  24. stand — for spectators

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com