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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: capital · firm · coach · spell · mouse · bass · charge · track

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. charge — a price
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. firm — a company
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bass — the fish
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. charge — in control
  12. spell — letters
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bass — low music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — a song
  18. capital — a city
  19. track — a path
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spell — magic
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. capital — a big letter

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