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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: fine · bowl · file · jam · prune · toast · charge · capital

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. file — a line of people
  5. capital — a city
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. capital — money
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. file — a tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. file — a document
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. toast — bread
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fine — high quality
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fine — all right
  24. prune — to trim

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