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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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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 · firm · stick · capital · scale · season · pound · cabinet

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. capital — a city
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. charge — a price
  6. firm — decided
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. season — of the year
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. charge — in control
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. scale — in music
  16. firm — steady
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. season — in sport
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — money
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cabinet — ministers

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