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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bound — obliged
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. charge — a price
  13. bound — certain
  14. charge — in control
  15. bound — tied together
  16. prune — to trim
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rash — a series

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