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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · club · root · lie · capital · game · bulb · craft

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. root — of a word
  3. game — wild animals
  4. capital — money
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. craft — a skill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. game — a match
  17. lie — to recline
  18. craft — boats
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. capital — a city
  21. root — the cause
  22. club — for golf
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — a kind of play

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