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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. bound — certain
  2. spell — a short time
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. charge — a price
  5. spell — magic
  6. charge — in control
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. drill — the tool
  11. dip — to sink
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bound — obliged
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. spell — letters
  17. drill — a practice
  18. fine — all right
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. drill — army training
  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