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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. capital — money
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bank — of a river
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. roll — a list
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. capital — a city
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bowl — a dish

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