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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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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: calf · fine · capital · rest · stick · roll · wake · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. wake — a trail
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — for dancing
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rest — a break
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fine — high quality
  17. club — for golf
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. roll — a list
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fine — all right
  23. rest — what's left
  24. capital — money

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