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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — the animal
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bound — certain
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. roll — a list
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. cap — of ice
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. toast — bread
  15. bound — tied together
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a hat
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. chair — a professorship

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