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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.

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: bound · mouse · chair · wound · leaves · toast · fine · bulb

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wound — an injury
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. toast — bread
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wound — an injury
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bound — certain

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