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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 116 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mug — a face
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — a grade
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bound — tied together
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bound — certain
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bound — obliged
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cell — in biology
  24. rest — a break

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