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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. tear — from crying
  7. file — a document
  8. capital — a city
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. chip — for betting
  13. staff — a stick
  14. scale — in music
  15. chip — to eat
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. staff — employees
  19. tear — to rip
  20. capital — money
  21. staff — employees
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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