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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: capital · charge · track · bore · wake · pop · pound · saw

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wake — a trail
  3. charge — electricity
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. capital — a city
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. charge — in control
  11. track — a song
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. charge — a price
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. track — a path
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pop — music
  24. pound — a weight

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