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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · capital · bulb · saw · foot · rest

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — a measure
  10. capital — a city
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. capital — money
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. saw — the tool

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