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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: scale · pitch · dip · drill · spell · capital · hide · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitch — completely
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. capital — a city
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. drill — army training
  9. scale — in music
  10. charge — a price
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. capital — money
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. scale — size or range
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. drill — the tool
  20. spell — a short time
  21. drill — a practice
  22. charge — electricity
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. scale — for weighing

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