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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 120 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — electricity
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. root — of a plant
  5. hand — in cards
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — the cause
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bound — certain
  16. root — of a word
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — thin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. charge — in control
  21. suit — in cards
  22. charge — a price
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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