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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bound — tied together
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — certain
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rash — a series
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. march — the month
  15. mug — a face
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mug — a cup
  20. march — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. march — the month
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mug — to rob

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