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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: sharp · key · charge · suit · mug · arm · last · capital

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mug — a cup
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mug — to rob
  10. charge — a price
  11. last — final
  12. last — to go on
  13. mug — a face
  14. key — the most important part
  15. last — finally
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. suit — to fit
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. key — in music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. suit — in cards
  24. sharp — clever

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