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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
468
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: mine · bay · capital · temple · rash · suit · field · bulb

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. capital — a city
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bulb — for light
  9. field — farmland
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. field — a subject
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rash — a series
  18. suit — to fit
  19. field — for sport
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — for digging

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