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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chair — a leader
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fork — in a road
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bound — certain
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bound — tied together
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bulb — of a plant

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