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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
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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: row · roll · bore · capital · suit · staff · cap · rest

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rest — a break
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. capital — money
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. staff — employees
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. staff — employees
  11. roll — a list
  12. suit — clothes
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bore — to tire
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cap — a lid
  21. roll — a cake
  22. capital — a city
  23. bore — to drill
  24. row — a line

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