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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. net — in sport
  3. charge — a price
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. shower — rain
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bound — obliged
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. shower — to wash
  12. net — for catching
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pound — a weight
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. net — after costs
  21. charge — in control
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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