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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bulb — for light
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bound — tied together
  16. toast — bread
  17. bound — certain
  18. rest — a break
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bat — the animal
  24. toast — the most admired

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