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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · cap · squash · leaves · mug · spell · capital · jam

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. squash — to crush
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. capital — money
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. spell — magic
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. spell — a short time
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. kick — in football
  21. cap — a hat
  22. squash — the sport
  23. spell — letters
  24. mug — a cup

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