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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: foot · bat · bank · hide · capital · land · charge · bark

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bank — of a river
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. charge — a price
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. land — a country
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. land — to come down
  16. bank — for money
  17. bat — the animal
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. land — ground
  21. charge — in control
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bank — for 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