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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 120 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: mug · present · capital · track · charge · bowl · cap · squash

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. capital — money
  3. mug — a face
  4. track — a song
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. charge — electricity
  7. track — a path
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. cap — a lid
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. capital — a city
  19. present — the time now
  20. track — to keep track
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. charge — a price
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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