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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: saw · date · fine · bound · rule · bulb · cabinet · bear

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bound — tied together
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fine — all right
  12. rule — a law
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rule — government
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bulb — for light
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. cabinet — ministers

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