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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: arm · mouse · capital · can · ruler · pound · rock · safe

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — a city
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. capital — money
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pound — a weight

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