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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 116 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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. court — of a king
  3. file — a document
  4. bound — obliged
  5. court — for sport
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — clothes
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. file — a tool
  15. bound — certain
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. court — of law
  19. wound — an injury
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bulb — of a plant

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