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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: fork · leaves · lash · bulb · capital · foot · firm · ground

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. firm — steady
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. fork — in a road
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. capital — money
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. capital — a city
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ground — a position
  19. firm — decided
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — a company
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fork — a garden tool

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