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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: cap · lean · ruler · bound · firm · scale · charge · bear

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lean — thin
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. bound — obliged
  7. firm — steady
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bound — tied together
  11. lean — to bend
  12. cap — a lid
  13. charge — a price
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cap — a hat
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — decided
  24. bear — to put up with

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