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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 · sharp · plane · firm · capital · bay · mate · band

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mate — a partner
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. plane — a tool
  12. band — a ring
  13. capital — money
  14. firm — steady
  15. band — a music group
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. firm — decided
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mate — to breed
  24. firm — a company

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