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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 124 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bound — obliged
  3. charge — electricity
  4. game — wild animals
  5. firm — steady
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bound — certain
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bound — tied together
  15. race — a contest
  16. charge — a price
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. charge — in control
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — humankind
  21. firm — a company
  22. game — a match
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. race — the arms race

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