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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bulb — for light
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. object — a thing
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rash — hasty
  12. object — to protest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. object — an aim
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. board — to get on
  19. rash — a series
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. board — a committee

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