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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. charge — a price
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bound — tied together
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. file — a document
  13. bound — certain
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — a container
  16. deal — to handle
  17. charge — in control
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. file — a tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. file — a line of people
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — obliged

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