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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bank — for money
  4. rest — a break
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. capital — money
  10. rock — a stone
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. firm — a company
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kick — in football
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. firm — decided
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — what's left
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rock — music
  24. bear — to put up with

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