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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — certain
  4. craft — a skill
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. row — to paddle
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. craft — boats
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. row — a line
  18. branch — a division
  19. bound — tied together
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bound — obliged

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