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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pit — a hole
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a music group
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. capital — money
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bulb — for light
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. rest — a break
  16. mark — a trace
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bass — low music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. capital — a city
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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