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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stock — goods
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cell — in biology
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — for digging
  16. stock — shares
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cell — a phone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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