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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lean — thin
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rock — a stone
  16. roll — a list
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. capital — a city
  20. kick — in football
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  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