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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: wake · bound · mine · board · mug · leaves · charge · mark

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bound — certain
  6. mug — a cup
  7. charge — in control
  8. mine — for digging
  9. board — to get on
  10. bound — obliged
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bound — tied together
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. wake — a trail
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mark — a grade
  21. charge — a price
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. board — a committee

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