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

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bound — obliged
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bound — certain
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bound — tied together
  14. staff — employees
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. staff — employees
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. game — a match
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bulb — for light

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