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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. rush — hurry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. snap — to click
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bound — tied together
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. sharp — clever

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