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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. fine — high quality
  4. roll — a list
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. can — to be able to
  7. tube — a container
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pop — music
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. can — a tin
  12. fine — all right
  13. roll — a cake
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. capital — a city
  16. pop — soda
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pop — to visit
  23. can — a tin
  24. capital — money

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