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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: charge · lean · mouse · board · bound · track · vault · clip

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bound — obliged
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bound — certain
  5. charge — electricity
  6. clip — for paper
  7. track — a song
  8. clip — to cut
  9. lean — thin
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. track — a path
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bound — tied together
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. clip — a video
  16. vault — a safe
  17. charge — in control
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lean — to bend
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. board — a committee
  24. mouse — the animal

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