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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: track · wound · charge · rush · bowl · row · bound · safe

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bound — certain
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. row — a line
  10. bound — tied together
  11. row — to paddle
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. track — a path
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wound — an injury
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. charge — in control
  22. track — a song
  23. bound — obliged
  24. track — to keep track

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