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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bound — certain
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wound — an injury
  11. charge — a price
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stand — to bear
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bay — a horse colour

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