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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: bulb · deal · can · bat · fine · mug · bound · mate

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mate — a friend
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bound — certain
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. can — a tin
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. can — a tin
  23. mug — a face
  24. mate — a partner

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