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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — all right
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bulb — for light
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bound — certain
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bound — obliged

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