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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: trunk · band · key · pit · capital · charge · can · squash

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. charge — in control
  4. capital — a city
  5. can — a tin
  6. key — in music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pit — in a race
  15. charge — a price
  16. pit — a hole
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. squash — the sport
  19. key — the most important part
  20. capital — money
  21. key — for a lock
  22. band — a ring
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. can — a tin

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