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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. degree — an amount
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. degree — from a university
  22. perch — the fish
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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