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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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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 · cap · mark · bulb · land · sharp · rule · toast

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bound — obliged
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mark — a trace
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mark — a grade
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. land — to come down
  11. bulb — for light
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bound — tied together
  14. land — ground
  15. rule — government
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rule — a law
  18. land — a country
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cap — of ice
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bound — certain
  23. toast — bread
  24. rule — to rule out

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