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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bore — to tire
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wound — an injury
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bore — to drill
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bound — certain
  15. pit — a hole
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. toast — bread
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pit — in a race

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