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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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 — a big letter
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rest — a break
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a committee
  8. band — a music group
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — money
  13. season — in sport
  14. band — a ring
  15. season — of the year
  16. rest — what's left
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. board — to get on
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bulb — for light
  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