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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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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. charge — in control
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — all right
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — completely
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. fine — high quality
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fine — a penalty

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