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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: bay · charge · mine · bound · can · mark · firm · date

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. firm — steady
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. firm — decided
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. charge — a price
  15. firm — a company
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. can — a tin
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — to be able to
  24. charge — in control

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