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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: jam · stick · fall · rash · capital · spell · mark · calf

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. spell — magic
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. capital — money
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. spell — letters
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rash — hasty
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mark — a grade
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. fall — the season
  21. spell — a short time
  22. capital — a city
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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