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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.

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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: pound · deal · lie · suit · capital · bulb · land · roll

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. capital — a city
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. roll — a cake
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. capital — money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. deal — to handle
  11. land — to come down
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — to fit
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bulb — for light
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. roll — a list
  22. land — ground
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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