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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kid — to tease
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. kid — child
  12. pop — soda
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bound — obliged
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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