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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. object — a thing
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. object — an aim
  12. wax — to grow
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — soda
  23. object — to protest
  24. craft — boats

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