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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. firm — steady
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mate — a friend
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. foot — a measure
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cap — a hat
  15. firm — decided
  16. capital — money
  17. firm — a company
  18. capital — a city
  19. cap — of ice
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rock — music
  24. foot — the bottom

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