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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: fall · sharp · fine · bound · charge · jam · content · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fall — to drop
  4. charge — in control
  5. fall — to drop
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bound — tied together
  9. fine — all right
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. fall — the season
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bound — obliged
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lie — to recline
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. charge — a price
  23. bound — certain
  24. charge — electricity

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