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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: coach · season · branch · ruler · mug · calf · chip · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mug — a cup
  4. season — in sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. season — of the year
  13. capital — a city
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chip — to eat
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — a face
  19. chip — for betting
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. branch — a division
  23. capital — money
  24. branch — of a tree

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