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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bound — obliged
  3. clip — a video
  4. charge — in control
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bound — certain
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bound — tied together
  10. board — to get on
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to tire
  15. board — a committee
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — to drill
  21. clip — to cut
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. charge — a price

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