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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: capital · object · leaves · nail · chair · bulb · club · game

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. capital — a city
  4. club — for dancing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — a match
  7. bulb — for light
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. club — a group
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. game — wild animals
  18. object — a thing
  19. chair — a leader
  20. capital — money
  21. club — for golf
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — an aim

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