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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 116 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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. fine — all right
  3. present — the time now
  4. charge — a price
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bound — certain
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bound — tied together
  19. present — a gift
  20. bound — obliged
  21. charge — in control
  22. wax — to grow
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. present — there

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