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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 120 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 · key · bore · calf · rash · charge · pitcher · march

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rash — a series
  3. march — music
  4. bore — to drill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. march — the month
  10. charge — electricity
  11. key — in music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. key — for a lock
  14. capital — a city
  15. bore — to tire
  16. capital — money
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rash — hasty
  19. march — the month
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. capital — a big letter

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