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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. capital — a city
  4. bank — for money
  5. toast — bread
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bulb — for light
  8. capital — money
  9. drill — army training
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bank — for money
  16. can — to be able to
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bank — of a river
  23. can — a tin
  24. branch — of a tree

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