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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: capital · kick · stock · ball · bulb · lean · trunk · toast

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. lean — to bend
  3. toast — bread
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. ball — a great time
  8. capital — a city
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stock — goods
  17. capital — money
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. ball — a dance
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — thin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stock — shares

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