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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rule — government
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. current — electric
  7. rule — a law
  8. current — happening now
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bound — certain
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bound — tied together
  20. current — of water
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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