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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — electric
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. suit — in cards
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — clothes
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. capital — a city
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. current — of water
  18. cap — a hat
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cap — a lid
  21. suit — to fit
  22. current — happening now
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. jam — in traffic

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