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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bound — tied together
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bound — certain
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — to cut
  10. suit — to fit
  11. club — a group
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. suit — in cards
  14. club — for dancing
  15. clip — a video
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. club — for golf
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. tube — in a tire

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