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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: toast · mug · prune · wind · bound · fall · temple · bulb

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mug — a face
  5. bound — obliged
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wind — moving air
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bound — certain
  22. bulb — for light
  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