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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — electricity
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — a container
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. charge — in control
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lean — thin
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. charge — a price
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. key — for a lock

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