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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. toast — bread
  4. tube — the underground
  5. court — of a king
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — a container
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. court — for sport
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bound — certain
  24. court — of law

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