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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. race — humankind
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. sharp — clever
  6. spring — a coil
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bass — low music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. race — a contest
  21. spring — of water
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spring — the season

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