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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pit — a hole
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bound — tied together
  5. roll — a list
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kick — in football
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — a break
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rest — what's left
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bulb — for light
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. staff — employees
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bound — certain

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