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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: mark · bulb · plane · rash · chip · cabinet · ground · capital

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a city
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ground — a position
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rash — hasty
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ground — crushed
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chip — to eat

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