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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bound — certain
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — for light
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. snap — to click
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bound — tied together
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. branch — a division
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. dip — to sink

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