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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bound — tied together
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bound — obliged
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bound — certain
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. net — in sport
  23. vault — a safe
  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