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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: capital · fine · track · kid · chip · foot · firm · field

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. chip — for betting
  3. track — a song
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — child
  6. field — farmland
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. firm — decided
  11. fine — all right
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. firm — a company
  15. capital — a city
  16. firm — steady
  17. foot — a measure
  18. chip — to eat
  19. track — a path
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. kid — to tease
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fine — high quality

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