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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: chair · rule · jam · capital · stick · pound · rush · calf

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. pound — a weight
  4. capital — a city
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chair — a leader
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rule — a law
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. rush — hurry
  23. capital — money
  24. chair — a professorship

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