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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: cap · lash · capital · charge · pitch · fan · perch · firm

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. charge — in control
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pitch — completely
  7. capital — a city
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. charge — a price
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cap — of ice
  14. charge — electricity
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. firm — decided
  17. cap — a lid
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. firm — a company
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. firm — steady
  24. pitch — a sports field

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