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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bound — tied together
  4. charge — a price
  5. foot — a measure
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. charge — in control
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bound — certain
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. ground — crushed
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. foot — the bottom

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