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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · capital · wax · rock · craft · pop · charge · rush

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. craft — boats
  7. pop — soda
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. capital — money
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. charge — in control
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pop — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. craft — a handicraft

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