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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 124 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. net — for catching
  4. charge — a price
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. bound — tied together
  8. charge — in control
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. perch — the fish
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. toast — bread
  18. current — happening now
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bound — certain

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