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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 116 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. squash — the sport
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. capital — a city
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — a break
  23. capital — money
  24. chair — a leader

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