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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. scale — in music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — bread
  5. capital — money
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. capital — a city
  21. cap — a hat
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. cap — of ice

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