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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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468
Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a document
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. object — a thing
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — a phone
  14. file — a tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pop — to visit
  17. object — to protest
  18. bound — certain
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. rest — a break
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. rest — what's left

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