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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: season · chest · capital · club · rule · rush · plane · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. capital — money
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. club — a group
  9. rule — a law
  10. club — for dancing
  11. chest — a box
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. season — of the year
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. capital — a city
  17. rule — government
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. club — for golf
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. plane — in geometry

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