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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. capital — a city
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — to come from
  12. charge — a price
  13. row — to paddle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. row — a line
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. capital — money
  19. charge — in control
  20. kid — child
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. kid — to tease
  24. suit — to fit

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