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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.

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: capital · fan · fine · pitch · chip · bass · ruler · charge

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. charge — in control
  8. bass — low music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fine — high quality
  11. capital — a city
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fine — all right
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pitch — completely
  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