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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: bank · charge · straw · object · land · fine · bound · dip

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. land — to come down
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. object — an aim
  6. bound — tied together
  7. land — a country
  8. bank — of a river
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. land — ground
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. bound — certain
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. fine — all right
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fine — high quality

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