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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. capital — a city
  3. suit — clothes
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. rule — government
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. sharp — clever
  17. capital — money
  18. fall — to drop
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. suit — in cards

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