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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. root — the cause
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. degree — temperature
  5. root — of a word
  6. bulb — for light
  7. degree — from a university
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bear — the animal
  15. degree — an amount
  16. root — of a plant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bear — the animal
  21. capital — money
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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