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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: foot · capital · dip · staff · lean · safe · arm · chip

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. chip — to eat
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. staff — a stick
  10. foot — a measure
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. staff — employees
  13. dip — to sink
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lean — to bend
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chip — for betting
  24. staff — employees

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