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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: deal · court · craft · rock · chip · file · capital · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. file — a document
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. deal — to handle
  8. capital — a city
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — to eat
  13. file — a tool
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. rock — a stone
  17. craft — boats
  18. court — for sport
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bore — to drill
  22. court — of law
  23. court — of a king
  24. craft — a skill

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