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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. branch — a division
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bound — tied together
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bound — certain
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stem — of a plant

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