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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: ruler · lie · mine · jam · ball · bulb · lean · bound

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. lean — thin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bound — tied together
  24. jam — a tight spot

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