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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: bound · spring · mate · safe · shower · charge · key · net

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. spring — a coil
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. net — for catching
  6. bound — tied together
  7. net — in sport
  8. key — in music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bound — certain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. spring — the season
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — to wash
  19. spring — of water
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. charge — in control
  22. key — the most important part
  23. net — after costs
  24. bound — obliged

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