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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — certain
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rule — government
  8. object — a thing
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. rule — a law
  13. charge — a price
  14. object — an aim
  15. kid — child
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. charge — in control
  23. object — to protest
  24. bark — to shout

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