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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: charge · lie · last · mouse · ball · bound · fan · hand

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. last — to go on
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. hand — help
  7. bound — tied together
  8. last — finally
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. charge — in control
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. last — final
  21. ball — a dance
  22. charge — a price
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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