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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wake — a trail
  4. band — a ring
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. firm — steady
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. band — a music group
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bulb — for light
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bulb — for light
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. capital — a city

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