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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 116 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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bound — certain
  3. staff — employees
  4. can — a tin
  5. capital — a city
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. cap — of ice
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. staff — employees
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. capital — money
  15. bound — obliged
  16. can — to be able to
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rule — a law
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — a hat
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bound — tied together
  24. calf — a young animal

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