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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bark — to shout
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bound — tied together
  24. charge — electricity

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