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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
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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: charge · perch · staff · firm · capital · cabinet · bass · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. capital — money
  4. bass — the fish
  5. staff — a stick
  6. charge — electricity
  7. staff — employees
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. capital — a city
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — in control
  12. firm — decided
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. charge — a price
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bass — low music

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