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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: suit · last · squash · calf · capital · mark · ruler · tube

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mark — a grade
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — the underground
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. squash — to crush
  11. capital — a city
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. squash — the sport
  16. suit — clothes
  17. last — finally
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. suit — to fit
  21. capital — money
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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