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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · fine · wind · snap · cabinet · bulb · scale · march

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wind — moving air
  3. march — the month
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — for light
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. march — the month
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. snap — to click
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. march — music
  18. bound — certain
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bulb — for light

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