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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 120 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: firm · tube · capital · can · chip · swing · mouse · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. tube — a container
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — steady
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. swing — music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. can — to be able to
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. swing — in golf
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. swing — to play on
  22. can — a tin
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — money

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