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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 · season · stick · temple · charge · wave · arm · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. march — the month
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a city
  8. season — in sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. march — the month
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. season — of the year
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. charge — in control
  24. wave — of the sea

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