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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — the time now
  3. wake — a trail
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — a safe
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. charge — a price
  16. present — there
  17. charge — in control
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. capital — money
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. present — a gift

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