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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 120 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 · wave · rule · fine · bound · capital · coach · stock

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rule — a law
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — all right
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stock — goods
  8. bound — certain
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. capital — a city
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — shares
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — money
  24. rule — government

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