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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 120 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
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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: board · nail · bowl · fall · spring · capital · bear · charge

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. spring — the season
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. capital — money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. capital — a city
  14. spring — a coil
  15. board — to get on
  16. spring — of water
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. charge — in control
  20. fall — the season
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bowl — to roll

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