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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 120 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: kid · suit · lean · mouse · hide · capital · prune · calf

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kid — child
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. prune — to trim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lean — thin
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. capital — a big letter

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