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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. capital — a city
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fork — in a road
  16. toast — bread
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. capital — money
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. present — there

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