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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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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: bound · safe · chair · bear · cue · wind · court · charge

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. charge — in control
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. court — for sport
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. court — of a king
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. court — of law
  23. charge — a price
  24. wind — moving air

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