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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 · rash · fine · fork · capital · lean · leaves · key

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. key — in music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rash — hasty
  8. fine — all right
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rash — a series
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. capital — money
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fine — high quality
  24. capital — a city

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