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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. charge — a price
  3. fall — to drop
  4. march — the month
  5. bound — certain
  6. fall — to drop
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bound — tied together
  13. charge — in control
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. march — music
  17. fall — the season
  18. bank — of a river
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — in cards
  21. march — the month
  22. hand — help
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. safe — out of danger

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