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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: nail · bulb · bound · court · present · fine · rush · pop

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — hurry
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — tied together
  12. court — for sport
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. fine — all right
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bound — certain
  24. pop — 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