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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.

Make a worksheet

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: charge · season · capital · straw · rock · bark · ruler · suit

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bark — to shout
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. charge — in control
  7. capital — a city
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. charge — a price
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. capital — money
  21. rock — music
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. rock — to move gently

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