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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. swing — in golf
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bound — certain
  5. swing — music
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bound — tied together
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mug — to rob
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mug — a face
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mug — a cup
  18. face — part of the head
  19. drill — army training
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ground — a position
  22. drill — the tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. face — to confront

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