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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · pass · wound · charge · bound · hide · foot · mate

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pass — a permit
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mate — a partner
  16. charge — in control
  17. wound — an injury
  18. file — a tool
  19. charge — electricity
  20. file — a document
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bound — certain
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wound — an injury

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