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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stock — goods
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bore — to drill
  8. file — a document
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bound — certain
  11. stock — shares
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rest — what's left
  16. file — a tool
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bass — low music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bore — gave birth

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