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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
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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: spell · file · branch · shower · charge · bound · safe · bore

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bound — tied together
  4. charge — electricity
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. charge — a price
  13. bore — to tire
  14. file — a document
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bore — to drill
  17. charge — in control
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. spell — a short time
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. file — a line of people
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bound — certain

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