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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 124 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rule — a law
  4. current — of water
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rule — government
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rock — music
  13. current — happening now
  14. rest — a break
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. craft — boats
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rock — a stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. current — electric
  23. bound — tied together
  24. craft — a skill

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