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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. game — a match
  3. pass — a permit
  4. hand — help
  5. bound — obliged
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fine — all right
  8. suit — clothes
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bound — tied together
  14. suit — to fit
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. content — the amount
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bound — certain

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