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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: bay · staff · content · capital · chip · bore · hide · bat

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bore — to tire
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bat — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — a city
  12. staff — employees
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. staff — employees
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bore — to drill
  21. content — the amount
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. content — happy
  24. chip — to eat

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