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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. march — music
  3. capital — a city
  4. march — the month
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. firm — decided
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. capital — money
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. march — the month
  16. bore — to tire
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bore — to drill

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