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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.

Make a worksheet

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: prune · charge · temple · bay · capital · game · object · land

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. game — a match
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. object — an aim
  5. charge — electricity
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — to trim
  13. land — a country
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. land — to come down
  17. charge — a price
  18. game — wild animals
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. land — ground
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. capital — a city

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