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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: bank · board · jam · cue · tube · charge · wind · capital

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. charge — electricity
  3. board — a committee
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — money
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bank — for money
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — of a river
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cue — for pool
  12. board — to get on
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. wind — moving air
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — in control
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. charge — a price
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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