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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: squash · capital · calf · rash · bear · stand · lie · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rash — a series
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. capital — a city
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. capital — money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rash — hasty
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. hand — in cards

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