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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · march · swing · bulb · temple · cell · cabinet · mug

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bound — tied together
  3. march — the month
  4. cell — in biology
  5. mug — to rob
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mug — a face
  9. bound — obliged
  10. swing — music
  11. march — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bound — certain
  17. march — the month
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. swing — in golf
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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