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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. track — a song
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. track — to keep track
  8. capital — money
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. capital — a city
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. track — a path
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — to bear

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