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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: mate · racket · last · spring · bulb · lash · mug · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. last — finally
  3. spring — the season
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mug — a face
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bound — obliged
  12. last — to go on
  13. mug — to rob
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. spring — a coil
  19. last — final
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — certain
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. spring — of water
  24. mate — to breed

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