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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. drill — the tool
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stand — to bear
  5. content — happy
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — a price
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ball — a great time
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bound — certain
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bound — obliged
  21. suit — in cards
  22. content — the amount
  23. drill — army training
  24. charge — in control

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