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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. craft — a skill
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. rule — government
  10. mine — for digging
  11. charge — in control
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. charge — electricity
  15. craft — boats
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. charge — a price
  18. rule — a law
  19. fall — the season
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — a weight
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fall — to drop

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