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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pit — a hole
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mug — a face
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. dip — to sink
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mug — a cup
  16. snap — to click
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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