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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. capital — money
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mug — a face
  6. capital — a city
  7. pound — a weight
  8. current — happening now
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rock — music
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. calf — a young animal

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