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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. capital — a city
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. tube — a container
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — in control
  12. saw — the tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. suit — clothes
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. deal — to handle
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. charge — a price
  20. saw — the tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wound — an injury
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. capital — money

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