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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: mouse · present · season · bank · bound · hand · charge · saw

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. charge — in control
  5. bound — certain
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. season — in sport
  15. bank — of a river
  16. hand — in cards
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. season — of the year
  20. present — there
  21. hand — help
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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