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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · capital · safe · kick · toast · foot

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. 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. kick — a thrill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rest — what's left
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. rest — what's left
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — a break
  16. foot — a measure
  17. capital — a city
  18. 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