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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. branch — a division
  5. suit — to fit
  6. capital — money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bark — to shout
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. swing — music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. suit — in cards
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. branch — of a bank

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