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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: capital · lie · game · bore · race · charge · stand · sharp

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. charge — electricity
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. race — humankind
  8. stand — to bear
  9. game — a match
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. sharp — clever
  13. game — wild animals
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. race — a contest
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. capital — money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. race — the arms race
  21. charge — a price
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. capital — a city
  24. charge — in control

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