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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. staff — employees
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. staff — a stick
  6. content — happy
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. content — the amount
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. capital — a city
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fork — in a road
  15. staff — employees
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. chip — to eat
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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