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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. charge — electricity
  3. kick — in football
  4. mine — for digging
  5. land — ground
  6. charge — in control
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. charge — a price
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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