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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. suit — in cards
  3. capital — a city
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. game — a match
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rock — music
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. capital — money
  20. lie — to recline
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. suit — clothes

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