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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. club — a group
  3. bound — tied together
  4. perch — the fish
  5. charge — in control
  6. bound — obliged
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. ground — a position
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bass — the fish
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. charge — a price
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bear — the animal
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bass — low music
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. club — for golf
  24. ground — the earth

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