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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hand — in cards
  3. charge — in control
  4. rock — a stone
  5. charge — a price
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bound — obliged
  9. last — final
  10. bound — certain
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. last — to go on
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. last — finally
  23. hand — help
  24. bound — tied together

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