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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 · straw · toast · capital · pound · cabinet · face · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. face — part of the head
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. face — to confront
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pop — music
  17. capital — a city
  18. pop — to visit
  19. capital — money
  20. toast — bread
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pop — soda
  24. straw — dry grass

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