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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ground — a position
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. current — happening now
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bound — certain
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fine — all right
  15. bound — obliged
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. current — electric
  22. game — a match
  23. fall — to drop
  24. current — of water

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