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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bound — certain
  3. object — an aim
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wake — a trail
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. spell — letters
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. spell — a short time
  13. pit — a hole
  14. object — to protest
  15. spell — magic
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pit — in a race
  21. object — a thing
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. temple — a place of worship

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