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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. drill — army training
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. charge — electricity
  5. can — a tin
  6. march — the month
  7. bound — certain
  8. bore — to tire
  9. can — a tin
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. charge — a price
  14. march — the month
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. charge — in control
  20. can — to be able to
  21. march — music
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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