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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. root — of a word
  3. charge — electricity
  4. root — the cause
  5. charge — in control
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bound — certain
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. cue — a hint
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. file — a document
  23. charge — a price
  24. file — a tool

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