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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bound — certain
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rock — music
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wind — moving air
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rock — a stone
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — moving air
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. wind — to turn a key

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