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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 120 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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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: fork · fine · calf · firm · stand · stick · chip · capital

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. firm — decided
  3. chip — to eat
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. firm — a company
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. capital — a city
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. firm — steady
  23. fork — in a road
  24. capital — money

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