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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bound — tied together
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bound — certain
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cap — a lid
  7. plane — a tool
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cap — a hat
  10. toast — bread
  11. spring — of water
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spring — a coil
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bound — obliged
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. spring — the season
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. suit — to fit
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bulb — for light

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