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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. charge — in control
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rule — government
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rule — a law
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. branch — a division
  11. chair — a leader
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bound — obliged
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. charge — a price
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wind — moving air
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bound — tied together
  24. chair — to sit on

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