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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · craft · capital · mark · cap · present · lean · rush

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rush — hurry
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cap — of ice
  11. present — there
  12. craft — boats
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lean — thin
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. capital — money
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cap — a hat
  19. present — a gift
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cap — a lid

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