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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: deal · bear · charge · object · staff · plane · capital · pit

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. object — to protest
  4. charge — in control
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — in a race
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. deal — to handle
  12. plane — a tool
  13. object — a thing
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. charge — electricity
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. capital — money
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. capital — a city

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