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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. charge — a price
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spell — letters
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. charge — in control
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. spell — magic
  12. bound — certain
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. spell — a short time
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. calf — a young animal

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