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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · capital · board · bear · jam · cap · press · rock

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. board — to get on
  4. rock — music
  5. press — newspapers
  6. capital — a city
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. capital — money
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. board — a committee
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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