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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. toast — bread
  6. bound — tied together
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bound — obliged
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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