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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: bulb · bowl · cabinet · mouse · wake · lie · rush · capital

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. capital — a city
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. capital — money
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. wake — a trail
  24. lie — an untruth

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