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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bound — tied together
  3. band — a ring
  4. charge — in control
  5. can — a tin
  6. march — the month
  7. can — a tin
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. march — the month
  10. board — to get on
  11. can — to be able to
  12. roll — a list
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. lean — thin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. band — a music group
  17. march — music
  18. board — a committee
  19. roll — a cake
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bound — obliged
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bound — certain
  24. charge — a price

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