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

Word bank: suit · cabinet · rest · chip · capital · rule

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rule — a law
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — to eat
  13. capital — a city
  14. rule — government
  15. rest — a break
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rule — to rule out

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