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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bound — tied together
  6. charge — in control
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bound — certain
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. charge — electricity
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — a price
  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