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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · deal · suit · bound · stick · plane · mug · present

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mug — a cup
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. deal — to handle
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — there
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. plane — a tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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