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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: capital · bay · pit · band · chip · rush · court · saw

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. saw — the tool
  4. court — of law
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rush — hurry
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. capital — a city
  14. band — a music group
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. court — of a king
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. chip — to eat
  21. saw — the tool
  22. band — a ring
  23. court — for sport
  24. pit — in a race

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