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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: mouse · nail · present · charge · capital · key · temple · pitch

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. charge — a price
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. charge — electricity
  8. key — in music
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. charge — in control
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitch — completely
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. present — there
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. key — for a lock
  22. capital — money
  23. key — the most important part
  24. temple — side of the head

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