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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 · mate · straw · can · land · racket

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. can — to be able to
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. land — to come down
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. capital — a city
  11. mate — to breed
  12. land — a country
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. board — a committee
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mate — a partner
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. land — ground
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. board — to get on
  24. capital — a big letter

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