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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: stand · deal · saw · charge · capital · firm · hide · jam

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — to bear
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. charge — in control
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. firm — a company
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — steady
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. capital — money
  20. firm — decided
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. charge — a price
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. capital — a city

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