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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. row — a line
  22. fall — the season
  23. capital — a city
  24. row — a quarrel

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