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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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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 · rock · bulb · ruler · fall · last · leaves · temple

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fall — to drop
  4. last — finally
  5. fall — the season
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. capital — a city
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rock — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. last — final
  15. fall — to drop
  16. capital — money
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bulb — for light
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. last — to go on

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