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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: saw · rush · calf · sharp · land · bound · lie · charge

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. charge — in control
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. land — to come down
  6. bound — certain
  7. lie — to recline
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. charge — electricity
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bound — obliged
  16. land — ground
  17. charge — a price
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. saw — the tool
  21. land — a country
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lie — an untruth

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