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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — in control
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. charge — a price
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mate — a friend
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mate — to breed
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bound — certain
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mine — for digging
  24. charge — electricity

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