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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 120 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. capital — a city
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. scale — size or range
  8. firm — a company
  9. capital — money
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. firm — steady
  13. scale — in music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. suit — to fit
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. firm — decided
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — in cards
  24. foot — a measure

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