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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. tube — the underground
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bound — certain
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. branch — a division
  15. fine — high quality
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bound — obliged
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — a container
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bound — tied together

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