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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: calf · firm · mug · chip · mate · kid · leaves · capital

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. firm — steady
  3. mate — a friend
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mate — to breed
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. chip — to eat
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mug — a face
  11. capital — money
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mug — to rob
  16. kid — to tease
  17. firm — a company
  18. mug — a cup
  19. kid — child
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. firm — decided
  24. capital — a city

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