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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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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: object · wake · net · toast · last · bulb · squash · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. object — a thing
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. last — finally
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — an aim
  16. last — to go on
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bound — certain
  19. object — to protest
  20. net — in sport
  21. last — final
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bulb — for light
  24. toast — bread

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