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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: stand · jam · pound · face · object · capital · ball · charge

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. ball — a dance
  5. charge — a price
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stand — to bear
  14. object — a thing
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pound — a weight
  20. capital — money
  21. capital — a city
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. charge — in control
  24. face — to confront

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