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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. track — a song
  3. bound — certain
  4. charge — electricity
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. row — a line
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. charge — in control
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — a price
  14. track — a path
  15. row — to paddle
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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