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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: lean · squash · bulb · racket · lie · wind · branch · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lean — thin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wind — moving air
  5. squash — to crush
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bound — certain
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wind — moving air
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. branch — a division
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. lie — to recline
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. lean — to bend

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