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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. capital — money
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fall — the season
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fall — to drop
  21. band — a ring
  22. capital — a city
  23. fine — high quality
  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