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

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rest — a break
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bulb — for light
  14. capital — a city
  15. rest — what's left
  16. capital — money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. scale — in music

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