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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. band — a music group
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — a price
  6. pop — music
  7. wound — an injury
  8. band — a ring
  9. bound — obliged
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pop — soda
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. perch — the fish
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bound — tied together
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  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