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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: mug · fall · capital · deal · ruler · fan · cap · calf

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. capital — a city
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fall — to drop
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. fall — the season
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — to handle
  17. capital — money
  18. cap — a lid
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fan — a supporter

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