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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. charge — electricity
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. court — for sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. charge — a price
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. charge — in control
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bear — the animal

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