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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bulb — for light
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. capital — a city
  11. bank — for money
  12. march — music
  13. bank — for money
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. track — a path
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. march — the month
  21. capital — money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. march — the month
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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