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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: mouse · game · stock · rule · bound · charge · lie · sharp

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. game — a match
  5. bound — certain
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stock — goods
  8. rule — government
  9. bound — obliged
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. lie — to recline
  13. charge — in control
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. game — wild animals
  23. stock — shares
  24. bound — tied together

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