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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rock — a stone
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. saw — the tool
  12. capital — a city
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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