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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: sharp · chest · mug · bowl · suit · object · capital · firm

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. capital — a city
  3. sharp — clever
  4. chest — a box
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. object — an aim
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. firm — steady
  11. capital — money
  12. mug — a face
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mug — to rob
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mug — a cup
  18. object — to protest
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. sharp — with an edge

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