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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — soda
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. toast — bread
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pop — music
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stock — goods
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stock — shares
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bulb — of a plant

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