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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: bulb · roll · pit · kid · bound · suit · foot · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. suit — in cards
  7. kid — child
  8. bound — certain
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bound — tied together
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pit — a hole
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. roll — a list
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. foot — a measure
  23. kid — to tease
  24. club — for golf

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