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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: rule · bay · fork · rush · bulb · capital · stick · plane

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rule — a law
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a city
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rule — government
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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