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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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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: ruler · snap · stand · capital · bulb · chip · land · bay

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. land — a country
  3. capital — money
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. chip — for betting
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. land — ground
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. land — to come down
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. capital — a city
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. snap — to click

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