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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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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: bank · chip · stand · capital · mark · temple · calf · race

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. race — humankind
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mark — a grade
  10. capital — a city
  11. stand — to bear
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bank — of a river
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. race — the arms race
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bank — for money
  21. race — a contest
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. temple — a place of worship

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