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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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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: suit · bear · trunk · content · swing · firm · foot · capital

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. swing — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. capital — a city
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. capital — money
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. suit — in cards
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. foot — a measure
  18. firm — a company
  19. bear — the animal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. content — videos and posts

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