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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: rule · pitcher · toast · mouse · drill · rest · capital · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — a city
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rule — government
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. drill — army training
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rule — a law
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. toast — bread
  20. capital — money
  21. rest — what's left
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rest — a break

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