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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bound — certain
  4. scale — in music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — what's left
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. degree — from a university
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rest — a break
  11. charge — electricity
  12. degree — an amount
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. charge — a price
  19. bound — tied together
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. degree — temperature
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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