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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fall — the season
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mine — for digging
  7. charge — a price
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stock — goods
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. charge — in control
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — shares
  23. bound — tied together
  24. charge — electricity

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