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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bark — to shout
  3. object — to protest
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bound — certain
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bound — obliged
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. date — the fruit
  13. object — a thing
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — a weight
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. charge — in control
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bark — of a tree

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