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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. swing — music
  4. capital — a city
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. swing — in golf
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spell — magic
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spell — letters
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lie — to recline
  19. snap — to click
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. capital — money

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