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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: safe · bound · snap · charge · march · pitch · scale · bank

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — electricity
  3. march — the month
  4. charge — in control
  5. bound — certain
  6. bank — for money
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. charge — a price
  9. snap — to click
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bound — obliged
  13. scale — size or range
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bank — for money
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. scale — in music
  22. bank — of a river
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. march — music

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