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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. land — a country
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rest — a break
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rest — what's left
  11. scale — size or range
  12. land — to come down
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — a city
  17. deal — to handle
  18. scale — in music
  19. land — ground
  20. bulb — for light
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rest — what's left

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