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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 124 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. capital — a city
  2. charge — electricity
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — a price
  6. mark — a grade
  7. roll — a list
  8. track — to keep track
  9. present — there
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. present — a gift
  12. charge — in control
  13. track — a path
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. present — the time now
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. track — a song
  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