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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bore — to drill
  5. roll — a list
  6. bound — tied together
  7. charge — a price
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fine — all right
  10. bore — to tire
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. roll — a cake
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cell — in a prison

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