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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.

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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 · charge · stock · capital · pass · last · dip · squash

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — in control
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. last — to go on
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — finally
  11. charge — a price
  12. capital — a city
  13. charge — electricity
  14. sharp — clever
  15. capital — money
  16. pass — a permit
  17. squash — the sport
  18. last — final
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. sharp — exactly

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