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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: bound · rock · capital · calf · present · can · chest · firm

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chest — a box
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. chest — of your body
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. present — a gift
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. firm — decided
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. firm — a company
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bound — tied together
  17. can — a tin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. present — there
  20. can — a tin
  21. firm — steady
  22. capital — a city
  23. rock — music
  24. present — the time now

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