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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — to get on
  5. object — an aim
  6. capital — a city
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rest — a break
  9. object — to protest
  10. land — to come down
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. land — ground
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. object — a thing
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. land — a country
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — a committee
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bulb — for light

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