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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. bound — obliged
  2. charge — a price
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — a container
  9. bound — certain
  10. chip — to eat
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bank — for money
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. charge — in control
  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