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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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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: charge · wave · bay · scale · lie · capital · ground · snap

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. ground — crushed
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. capital — money
  6. scale — in music
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. capital — a city
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ground — a position
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. snap — to click
  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