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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 116 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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bound — certain
  3. saw — the tool
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bank — for money
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. capital — money
  9. root — the cause
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bound — tied together
  13. capital — a city
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bulb — for light
  16. root — of a plant
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — the tool
  19. root — of a word
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bank — for money
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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