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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: charge · spring · racket · capital · band · foot · bat · ruler

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. capital — a city
  6. bat — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. spring — of water
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. charge — a price
  16. spring — a coil
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. band — a ring
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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