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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: saw · mark · cell · charge · track · lie · capital · bulb

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — to keep track
  5. capital — a city
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. track — a path
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. capital — money
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — a phone
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. track — a song
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. charge — a price
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — to recline
  23. charge — electricity
  24. saw — the tool

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