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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: bound · bulb · kick · deal · foot · wound · charge · stem

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wound — an injury
  5. foot — a measure
  6. charge — a price
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bulb — for light
  9. charge — in control
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — electricity
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kick — in football
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bound — obliged
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. deal — an agreement

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