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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: cabinet · bowl · bound · wound · charge · stand · mine · drill

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. drill — army training
  4. bound — obliged
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stand — to bear
  11. charge — a price
  12. bound — certain
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. drill — the tool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — in control
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bowl — a football final

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