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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — of the year
  5. can — a tin
  6. season — in sport
  7. game — wild animals
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. chip — for betting
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. game — a match
  18. can — a tin
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. capital — a city
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stand — to bear
  24. dip — to sink

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