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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · band · capital · ruler · row · bore

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. band — a music group
  10. bore — to drill
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. capital — money
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. band — a ring
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. capital — a city

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