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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. charge — a price
  9. bass — the fish
  10. object — an aim
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fine — all right
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. bass — low music
  23. bound — tied together
  24. object — to protest

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