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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: wound · bowl · charge · stick · root · drill · nail · bound

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. drill — army training
  4. bound — obliged
  5. root — the cause
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. charge — in control
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bound — tied together
  15. root — of a word
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. root — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bound — certain
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. nail — on a finger

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