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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: rock · roll · plane · bulb · lean · land · bound · rush

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. land — ground
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. roll — a list
  13. bound — certain
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. land — to come down
  17. rush — hurry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — to bend
  20. land — a country
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rock — music

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