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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. lean — to bend
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — tied together
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bound — certain
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. branch — a division

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