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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.

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 · lie · capital · bore · bear · bass · charge · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. capital — a city
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bass — low music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bear — the animal
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. capital — money
  24. deal — a big deal

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