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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 116 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: charge · nail · bore · bat · mug · cabinet · capital · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. capital — a city
  4. mug — a cup
  5. charge — a price
  6. bat — the animal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. bore — to drill
  9. charge — electricity
  10. capital — money
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. charge — in control
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mug — a face

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