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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ground — a position
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. race — a contest
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ground — crushed
  8. snap — to click
  9. bulb — for light
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — obliged
  12. tube — a container
  13. race — humankind
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. race — the arms race
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. wake — a trail
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bound — tied together

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