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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bound — tied together
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pop — music
  8. ground — the earth
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lie — to recline
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pop — soda
  22. ground — a position
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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