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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 116 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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pit — in a race
  4. charge — in control
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. capital — money
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. craft — boats
  15. capital — a city
  16. charge — electricity
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. charge — a price
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. game — a match

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