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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: capital · calf · plane · charge · pass · foot · fall · chip

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — to eat
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fall — the season
  10. chip — for betting
  11. charge — a price
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. capital — a city
  15. fall — to drop
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. capital — money
  20. charge — electricity
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — in control

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