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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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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 · staff · branch · bound · tube · calf · foot · net

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bound — tied together
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. staff — a stick
  9. capital — a city
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. branch — a division
  13. foot — a measure
  14. staff — employees
  15. bound — obliged
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tube — a container
  19. bound — certain
  20. staff — employees
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. capital — money
  24. net — after costs

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