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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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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: bound · prune · foot · roll · fine · bulb · mug · pit

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. prune — to trim
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bound — certain
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — high quality
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mug — a cup
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bound — tied together
  15. mug — a face
  16. pit — a hole
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bulb — for light
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — on a roll

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