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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: game · bank · capital · can · bowl · chip · toast · nail

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. capital — a city
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — of a river
  5. capital — money
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. game — a match
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. chip — to eat
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. toast — bread
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. can — to be able to
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. game — wild animals

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