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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pop — soda
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bound — obliged
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pop — music
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pop — to visit
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — after costs
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. net — in sport
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — certain
  21. charge — a price
  22. net — for catching
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bound — tied together

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