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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 120 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: band · bulb · cue · bound · spell · pop · bay · plane

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bound — obliged
  3. cue — a hint
  4. band — a music group
  5. bound — certain
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pop — music
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. band — a ring
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pop — soda
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — a signal

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