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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. capital — a city
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wax — to grow

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