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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: calf · wake · pit · charge · dip · present · can · capital

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. present — a gift
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pit — a hole
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — there
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. charge — in control
  14. capital — a city
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. capital — money
  20. present — the time now
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. can — a tin
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pit — in a race

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