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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: nail · court · pound · bound · sharp · current · mate · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. current — electric
  3. bound — obliged
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — of water
  6. bound — certain
  7. court — for sport
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. current — happening now
  13. court — of a king
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. court — of law
  19. bound — tied together
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pound — a weight
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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