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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. capital — a city
  4. chip — to eat
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. land — ground
  7. bank — for money
  8. land — to come down
  9. suit — clothes
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wound — an injury
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. wound — an injury
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mug — a face
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. suit — in cards
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bank — for money
  24. land — a country

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