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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bulb — for light
  4. sharp — clever
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — tied together
  10. charge — a price
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. charge — in control
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bound — certain
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. snap — to click

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