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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: pop · toast · rush · cap · calf · patient · capital · fan

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. pop — music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. capital — a city
  10. pop — to visit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pop — soda
  13. capital — money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cap — a lid
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. toast — bread
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. patient — a sick person

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