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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rule — a law
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rule — government
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — to point toward
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. capital — a city
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bulb — for light
  14. court — of law
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — to confront
  18. rock — music
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. court — for sport
  21. face — part of the head
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. capital — money
  24. court — of a king

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