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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. capital — money
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. band — a music group
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. band — a ring
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. craft — boats
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. key — the most important part
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. capital — a city
  20. bulb — for light
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pit — in a race
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — in music

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