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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: fine · mouse · charge · capital · ball · bay · tube · straw

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. fine — all right
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. tube — a container
  10. ball — a dance
  11. tube — the underground
  12. charge — a price
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ball — a great time
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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