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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 120 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: capital · bowl · rush · bore · ground · bay · calf · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. capital — a city
  3. capital — money
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ground — a position
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bore — to drill
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rush — hurry
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. suit — in cards

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