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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: fork · capital · chip · firm · mouse · shower · temple · calf

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. chip — to eat
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. capital — money
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. firm — decided
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — for betting
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. firm — steady
  21. fork — in a road
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. capital — a city
  24. temple — a place of worship

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