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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: lash · bound · row · mark · bulb · temple · capital · can

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bound — obliged
  4. row — a line
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. can — a tin
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bound — certain
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. capital — a city
  16. can — a tin
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. row — to paddle
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bulb — for light
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. capital — money
  24. mark — a grade

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