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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 120 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. capital — money
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. charge — in control
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. root — the cause
  16. ball — a dance
  17. root — of a word
  18. bore — to drill
  19. charge — electricity
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. branch — a division
  23. charge — a price
  24. pass — to succeed

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