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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. branch — a division
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bound — certain
  19. snap — to click
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — hurry

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