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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: snap · capital · stand · bear · suit · staff · chip · race

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. snap — to click
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. race — a contest
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bear — the animal
  11. capital — a city
  12. staff — a stick
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. staff — employees
  15. chip — to eat
  16. race — humankind
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — clothes
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. staff — employees
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chip — for betting
  23. capital — money
  24. race — the arms 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