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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
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: pass · capital · mouse · charge · present · saw · degree · roll

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. present — there
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. roll — a list
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — an amount
  11. present — the time now
  12. charge — electricity
  13. saw — the tool
  14. capital — money
  15. charge — in control
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. capital — a city
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. charge — a price
  20. roll — a cake
  21. present — a gift
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mouse — the animal

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