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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 116 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: key · trunk · rock · rule · bulb · pound · fine · bound

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rule — a law
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rule — government
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bound — certain
  8. fine — all right
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bulb — for light
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pound — a weight
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rock — a stone
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. key — for a lock

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