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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. cell — a phone
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. chip — to eat
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cap — a hat
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a city
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cap — of ice
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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