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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: band · capital · hide · bore · race · chip

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. race — a contest
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. race — the arms race
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bore — to tire
  10. band — a music group
  11. capital — money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. band — a ring
  16. capital — a city
  17. race — humankind
  18. hide — to keep secret

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