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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. land — to come down
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. charge — a price
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. scale — size or range
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. land — ground
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. board — to get on
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. dip — to sink
  16. scale — in music
  17. land — a country
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. board — a committee
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  24. board — a flat piece

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