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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: march · vault · drill · net · mine · mouse · bound · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. bound — tied together
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bound — certain
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. drill — army training
  13. march — the month
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mine — for digging
  18. net — in sport
  19. march — music
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. drill — the tool
  23. march — the month
  24. mine — belonging to me

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