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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 120 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: cabinet · ruler · bear · fine · bulb · object · capital · swing

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. object — to protest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fine — all right
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. fine — high quality
  12. object — an aim
  13. swing — music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. capital — money
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. object — a thing
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — for measuring

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