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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: bound · scale · drill · lean · bulb · fine · prune · band

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. drill — army training
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bound — certain
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. band — a music group
  14. scale — in music
  15. drill — a practice
  16. band — a ring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bound — obliged
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — the tool

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