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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. capital — a city
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. capital — money
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spell — a short time
  10. can — a tin
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rest — what's left
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spell — magic
  15. rest — a break
  16. dip — to sink
  17. can — to be able to
  18. suit — to fit
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. spell — letters
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — in cards

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