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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. capital — a city
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bound — certain
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lean — to bend
  8. capital — money
  9. fine — all right
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fine — high quality
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lean — thin
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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