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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bound — certain
  4. bulb — for light
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. deal — to handle
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stock — shares
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bound — tied together
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cap — a hat
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stock — goods

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