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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. charge — in control
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. staff — employees
  6. charge — electricity
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. race — a contest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. staff — a stick
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. charge — a price
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. capital — a city
  19. deal — to handle
  20. race — the arms race
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. staff — employees
  24. race — humankind

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