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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · bore · charge · bowl · date · chip · leaves · bound

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bound — tied together
  6. charge — a price
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bore — to drill
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bound — certain
  21. bore — to tire
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. charge — in control

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