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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: march · suit · mouse · bear · chip · lean · capital · mark

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. capital — a city
  4. chip — for betting
  5. march — music
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. lean — to bend
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. march — the month
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. march — the month
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mark — a trace
  19. capital — money
  20. mark — a grade
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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