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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.

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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: bear · can · calf · capital · charge · jam · sharp · press

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. can — a tin
  10. press — newspapers
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. charge — a price
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. sharp — clever
  20. capital — a city
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. capital — money

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