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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: bound · board · firm · coach · bulb · snap · capital · chip

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bound — certain
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. snap — to click
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — to eat
  14. firm — steady
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. capital — a city
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bound — tied together
  21. board — a committee
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bulb — for light
  24. firm — decided

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