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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.

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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stand — to bear
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bulb — for light
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. craft — a skill
  9. capital — money
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mine — for digging
  13. craft — boats
  14. capital — a city
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. object — an aim
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. lie — to recline

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