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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — of water
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. spring — a coil
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bound — certain
  10. spring — the season
  11. face — to confront
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pit — in a race
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. face — to point toward
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bowl — a dish

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