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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 120 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 · charge · leaves · net · wind · bank · safe · snap

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — in sport
  8. charge — a price
  9. net — after costs
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bound — certain
  13. bank — of a river
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wind — moving air
  18. net — for catching
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bank — for money
  21. charge — in control
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. snap — to click
  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