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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: capital · march · bulb · mouse · toast · branch · mark · pit

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pit — in a race
  6. capital — a city
  7. branch — a division
  8. march — the month
  9. pit — a hole
  10. march — the month
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — a trace
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. march — music
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. toast — bread
  24. mouse — for a computer

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