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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — a box
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. capital — money
  7. fork — in a road
  8. chest — of your body
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a city
  13. key — the most important part
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. key — in music
  18. temple — a place of worship

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