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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: calf · perch · foot · capital · racket · cabinet · dip · chip

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. capital — money
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. capital — a city
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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