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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. capital — a city
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. root — the cause
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. root — of a word
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. spell — a short time
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. lie — to recline
  20. capital — money
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. root — of a plant
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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