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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: fine · pass · spell · tear · toast · trunk · capital · chip

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. spell — magic
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. capital — a city
  13. spell — letters
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fine — all right
  20. capital — money
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. tear — to rip

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