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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. tube — the underground
  3. squash — the sport
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stand — to bear
  10. saw — the tool
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — a container
  17. bound — certain
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bulb — for light

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