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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a hole
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. bank — for money
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — a song
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. track — a path
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bank — of a river

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