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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: pound · suit · chip · foot · capital · wound · stand · safe

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — money
  8. pound — a weight
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stand — to bear
  14. chip — to eat
  15. foot — a measure
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. capital — a city
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. chip — for betting
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wound — an injury

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