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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — to push
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bound — certain
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wound — an injury
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bound — tied together
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bowl — a football final

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