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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ground — the earth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. suit — clothes
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bank — for money
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. key — in music
  10. dip — to sink
  11. ground — a position
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. suit — to fit
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — money
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. key — the most important part
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bank — for 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