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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
468
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: capital · charge · bass · lean · craft · net · object · bound

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. object — to protest
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bass — the fish
  10. net — for catching
  11. charge — in control
  12. capital — a city
  13. net — in sport
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. craft — a skill
  17. object — an aim
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. capital — money
  21. bass — low music
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lean — thin
  24. net — after costs

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