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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.

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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: suit · cap · ground · lean · rush · charge · land · foot

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. cap — a hat
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. charge — a price
  6. ground — the earth
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. charge — in control
  10. cap — a lid
  11. land — a country
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cap — of ice
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. land — ground
  20. suit — clothes
  21. land — to come down
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ground — a position
  24. suit — to fit

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