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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.

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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: charge · clip · squash · bound · saw · pass · object · ruler

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — in control
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — an aim
  7. clip — a video
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bound — obliged
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — electricity
  12. saw — the tool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. object — to protest
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. clip — to cut
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. object — a thing
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bound — certain
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. charge — a price

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