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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. last — final
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. last — finally
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kid — child
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. charge — in control
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. kid — to tease
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bound — certain
  24. safe — out of danger

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