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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: bear · cabinet · squash · staff · capital · ruler · fork · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. squash — to crush
  11. staff — employees
  12. fork — in a road
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. capital — a city
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. capital — money
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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