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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bound — certain
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. march — the month
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  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