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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 120 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. capital — money
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. court — of law
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — of a king
  13. track — a path
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. track — a song
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. court — for sport
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pass — a permit
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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