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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — a thing
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cap — a hat
  9. object — an aim
  10. cap — of ice
  11. court — for sport
  12. cap — a lid
  13. court — of a king
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. court — of law
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — for money
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. object — to protest

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