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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. capital — a city
  8. shower — rain
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. charge — a price
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. capital — money
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. shower — to wash
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. capital — a big letter

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