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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: rest · lean · bear · ball · capital · band · charge · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. charge — in control
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. band — a ring
  6. lean — thin
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. capital — a city
  9. ground — the earth
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lean — to bend
  19. charge — a price
  20. capital — money
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lean — to rest against

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