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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: roll · firm · pop · calf · hide · jam · snap · capital

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. pop — music
  5. firm — steady
  6. roll — a cake
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. firm — decided
  9. capital — a city
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. snap — to click
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. roll — a list
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. capital — money
  17. firm — a company
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pop — soda
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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