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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rock — music
  4. wake — a trail
  5. court — of a king
  6. capital — money
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — all right
  15. bulb — for light
  16. court — of law
  17. suit — in cards
  18. court — for sport
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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