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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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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. scale — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — in control
  10. staff — a stick
  11. charge — electricity
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. staff — employees
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hand — in cards
  21. scale — size or range
  22. hand — help
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. charge — a price

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