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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bound — obliged
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a city
  8. present — the time now
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — a gift
  11. bound — certain
  12. court — for sport
  13. band — a music group
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bulb — for light
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. court — of law
  19. present — there
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. court — of a king
  22. bound — tied together
  23. band — a ring
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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