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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: leaves · cabinet · pitch · nail · capital · dip · charge · racket

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. capital — a city
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. dip — to sink

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