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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 116 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
468
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: bore · rock · coach · capital · charge · wave · spell · wind

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rock — a stone
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. wind — moving air
  10. charge — electricity
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. capital — money
  13. bore — to drill
  14. charge — in control
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spell — letters
  17. capital — a city
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rock — music
  22. spell — magic
  23. wind — moving air
  24. charge — a price

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