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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bound — tied together
  7. chest — a box
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pit — a hole
  17. chest — of your body
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. pit — in a race
  20. deal — to handle
  21. firm — steady
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bound — certain

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