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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bulb — for light
  5. scale — in music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — a grade
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bound — certain
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bulb — for light
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ruler — a monarch

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