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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: capital · chip · hide · fine · press · race · date · fall

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fall — the season
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. race — humankind
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. race — the arms race
  9. date — the fruit
  10. chip — for betting
  11. race — a contest
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. capital — a city
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fall — to drop
  20. press — a publisher
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. capital — money

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