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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 116 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. key — in music
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bound — certain
  8. clip — to cut
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bound — tied together
  11. snap — to click
  12. clip — a video
  13. key — the most important part
  14. squash — to crush
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wound — an injury
  17. key — for a lock
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bulb — for light
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — for light
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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