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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chip — for betting
  4. net — for catching
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. capital — money
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mark — a grade
  14. capital — a city
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. net — in sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bank — for money
  23. net — after costs
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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