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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bound — tied together
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bound — obliged
  7. lean — thin
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — in control
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cap — of ice
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chest — a box
  20. bank — for money
  21. bound — certain
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bank — for money

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