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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. capital — a city
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cap — a hat
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bore — to drill
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bore — to tire
  21. capital — money
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. foot — part of the body

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