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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. track — a path
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. track — to keep track
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. swing — music
  12. track — a song
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bound — obliged
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — in a road
  20. chip — for betting
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. saw — the tool
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fork — a garden tool

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