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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. charge — a price
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lean — thin
  6. capital — a city
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — there
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. present — a gift
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. present — the time now
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pound — a weight
  15. charge — in control
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cap — of ice
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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