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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cap — a lid
  8. drill — the tool
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bulb — for light
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. drill — a practice
  15. can — a tin
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. drill — army training
  22. cap — of ice
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cap — a hat

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