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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bound — obliged
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — a weight
  8. march — the month
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. game — wild animals
  11. charge — in control
  12. game — a match
  13. bound — certain
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. deal — to handle
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. march — the month
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. ball — a great time
  22. march — music
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. ball — a dance

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