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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: chip · capital · pit · stock · pop · fine · spell · pass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stock — goods
  4. pit — in a race
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. spell — letters
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fine — all right
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — money
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stock — shares
  24. spell — magic

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