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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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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: snap · kid · cabinet · calf · capital · board · rest · suit

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. snap — to click
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. capital — money
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. capital — a city
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. board — a committee
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. kid — child
  17. board — to get on
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. kid — to tease

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