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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: season · content · wound · ruler · rash · capital · bay · bulb

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rash — a series
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rash — hasty
  9. capital — money
  10. content — happy
  11. season — of the year
  12. capital — a city
  13. content — the amount
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — in sport
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. capital — a big letter

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