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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 120 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. charge — in control
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. charge — a price
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — a song
  19. bound — certain
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bound — obliged

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