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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. march — music
  5. bound — tied together
  6. race — humankind
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bound — obliged
  9. race — the arms race
  10. charge — electricity
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. race — a contest
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bound — certain
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. game — a match

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