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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · cap · lean · capital · racket · stand · bulb · bound

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. cap — a hat
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. capital — a city
  7. bulb — for light
  8. capital — money
  9. bound — obliged
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lean — to bend
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bound — certain
  21. bulb — for light
  22. spell — magic
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. cap — of ice

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