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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cap — a hat
  4. present — there
  5. bound — obliged
  6. perch — the fish
  7. march — the month
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cap — of ice
  10. march — the month
  11. present — a gift
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — a price
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. march — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. firm — a company
  21. cap — a lid
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bound — certain
  24. present — the time now

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