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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: chair · deal · fine · charge · staff · bound · season · temple

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bound — tied together
  7. season — in sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bound — certain
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. charge — in control
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. charge — a price
  16. fine — all right
  17. chair — a leader
  18. charge — electricity
  19. season — of the year
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. staff — employees
  24. season — to add flavour

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