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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: hide · firm · tube · last · craft · charge · capital · racket

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. firm — decided
  4. charge — in control
  5. tube — the underground
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. charge — electricity
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. charge — a price
  12. firm — steady
  13. tube — a container
  14. capital — money
  15. last — final
  16. craft — boats
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. last — finally
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. capital — a city
  21. last — to go on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — a company
  24. craft — a skill

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