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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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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 did you ________________ them?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mug — a face
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mug — a cup
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. row — a line
  9. charge — in control
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bound — certain
  12. land — ground
  13. charge — a price
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. charge — electricity
  16. land — to come down
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. land — a country
  22. fork — in a road
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. row — to paddle

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