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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 · foot · capital · club · mouse · chip · toast · patient

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. chip — for betting
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. club — for dancing
  10. toast — bread
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. club — for golf
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. club — a group
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. capital — a city
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — the most admired

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