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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. capital — money
  7. fork — in a road
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — a law
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rule — government
  13. chip — for betting
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. snap — to click
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. hide — to keep secret

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