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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rock — music
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — shares
  8. shower — rain
  9. bound — certain
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fine — all right
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bulb — for light
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rule — a law
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rock — a stone
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stock — goods

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