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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bound — obliged
  3. charge — a price
  4. net — in sport
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. charge — in control
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fine — all right
  9. saw — the tool
  10. net — after costs
  11. spring — a coil
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. charge — electricity
  16. net — for catching
  17. spring — the season
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bound — certain
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. spring — of water
  23. safe — out of danger
  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