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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kid — to tease
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bound — obliged
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — a container
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pass — to succeed

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