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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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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: stick · rest · pitcher · leaves · deal · calf · capital · straw

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rest — a break
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. capital — money
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. deal — to handle
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. capital — a city
  24. deal — an agreement

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