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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: can · chip · game · saw · scale · temple · pass · capital

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. capital — a city
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. can — to be able to
  8. capital — money
  9. scale — in music
  10. chip — to eat
  11. game — wild animals
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. game — a match
  16. can — a tin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. can — a tin
  20. saw — the tool
  21. scale — size or range
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. chip — for betting

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