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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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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: rest · capital · safe · kick · toast · foot · shower · stem

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. capital — a city
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rest — what's left
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. kick — in football
  16. foot — a measure
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stem — to come from
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rest — a break
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. safe — out of danger

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