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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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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: fine · rock · toast · bound · charge · wake · season · pit

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wake — a trail
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bound — certain
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. charge — a price
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. season — in sport
  17. fine — all right
  18. charge — in control
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pit — in a race
  21. toast — bread
  22. bound — tied together
  23. season — of the year
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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