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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: bulb · deal · stand · capital · lean · bear · club · row

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bulb — for light
  5. club — a group
  6. bulb — for light
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. capital — money
  10. lean — thin
  11. capital — a city
  12. club — for golf
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. club — for dancing
  15. deal — to handle
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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