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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bound — certain
  3. foot — a measure
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bound — obliged
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tear — from crying
  10. land — a country
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. capital — money
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — to come down
  16. capital — a city
  17. tear — to rip
  18. land — ground
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. foot — part of the body

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