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

Word bank: toast · firm · pit · kick · capital · fine

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. pit — in a race
  9. kick — in football
  10. capital — a city
  11. firm — steady
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. firm — a company
  14. pit — a hole
  15. toast — bread
  16. firm — decided
  17. capital — money
  18. toast — the most admired

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