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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — all right
  10. season — in sport
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rash — hasty
  14. season — of the year
  15. bound — certain
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rash — a series
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a tool
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bulb — for light

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