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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: chest · present · capital · stock · ball · plane · wave · charge

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. chest — a box
  3. capital — money
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. present — the time now
  6. capital — a city
  7. chest — of your body
  8. charge — in control
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ball — a great time
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stock — goods
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stock — shares
  24. charge — a price

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