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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · bound · tube · charge · file · drill · present · racket

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bound — certain
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bound — tied together
  5. tube — a container
  6. present — there
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. file — a document
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. drill — army training
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — in control
  17. chair — a leader
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bound — obliged
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. present — a gift
  24. drill — the tool

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