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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. stock — goods
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stock — shares
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bound — certain
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chair — a professorship

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