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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — for sport
  5. charge — a price
  6. bound — certain
  7. craft — boats
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. band — a ring
  15. craft — a skill
  16. charge — in control
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bound — tied together
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bound — obliged

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