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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · craft · bound · spell · bulb · field · lie · bay

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. field — for sport
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. field — a subject
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. craft — boats
  18. field — farmland
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lie — to recline
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. rest — a break

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