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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 120 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bound — certain
  3. suit — in cards
  4. craft — boats
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rock — a stone
  9. suit — clothes
  10. kick — in football
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. content — happy
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. content — the amount

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