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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bank — of a river
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bound — certain
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lie — to recline
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. bank — for money
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fork — in a road
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. drill — the 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