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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 · dip · ground · bore · perch · capital · hide · can

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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 — in control
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bore — to tire
  5. capital — money
  6. charge — a price
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bore — to drill
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — a position
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ground — crushed
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  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