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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 116 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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. current — happening now
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. present — a gift
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. current — of water
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. present — there
  13. chip — for betting
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a city
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. tube — a container
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. present — the time now
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — electric

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