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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · chest · foot · mate · charge · bore · ruler

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bound — certain
  16. chest — a box
  17. mate — to breed
  18. charge — a price
  19. mine — for digging
  20. charge — in control
  21. chest — of your body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — electricity

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