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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: perch · bound · bay · pit · chip · stick · capital · nail

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bound — certain
  8. capital — a city
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bound — obliged
  15. chip — to eat
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. capital — money
  19. chip — for betting
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bay — a horse colour

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