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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mate — to breed
  3. current — electric
  4. ground — the earth
  5. swing — in golf
  6. charge — a price
  7. file — a document
  8. swing — to play on
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mate — a partner
  11. current — of water
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. current — happening now
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. file — a tool
  17. mate — a friend
  18. swing — music
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bound — certain
  22. charge — in control
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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