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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: net · foot · fan · capital · chip · rash · jam · date

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. net — for catching
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. net — in sport
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. chip — for betting
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. capital — money
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. date — the fruit
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. net — after costs
  17. rash — hasty
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rash — a series
  20. capital — a city
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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