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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. dip — to sink
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pit — a hole
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. current — of water
  8. bound — tied together
  9. charge — in control
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mine — for digging
  13. charge — a price
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bound — certain
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. current — electric
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. current — happening now
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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