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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: stand · chip · hand · rock · sharp · wave · mug · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. capital — money
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mug — to rob
  12. capital — a city
  13. hand — help
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hand — in cards
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rock — music

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