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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mine — for digging
  3. cell — in biology
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bound — certain
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cell — a phone
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bound — tied together
  16. fine — high quality
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wake — before a funeral

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