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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bound — certain
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bound — tied together
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rule — a law
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rule — government
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bound — obliged
  15. charge — a price
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. charge — in control
  18. pass — to spend time

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