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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: suit · capital · fine · bulb · club · date · bear · foot

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. suit — clothes
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. club — for dancing
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fine — all right
  12. date — the fruit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. capital — money
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. suit — to fit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — for golf
  23. capital — a city
  24. club — a group

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