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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mug — a face
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mug — to rob
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — of the year
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bound — certain
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. drill — army training
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. season — in sport
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bound — tied together

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