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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. capital — a city
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mug — a face
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fork — in a road
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bank — for money
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lean — to bend
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lean — thin
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mug — to rob
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. capital — money
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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