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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. charge — a price
  4. bass — low music
  5. content — happy
  6. charge — electricity
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — in music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bound — obliged
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bound — tied together
  20. charge — in control
  21. bass — the fish
  22. key — for a lock
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young 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