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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. firm — a company
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rock — a stone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. capital — a city
  17. charge — in control
  18. firm — steady
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. capital — money
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. charge — a price
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ground — a position

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