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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: date · plane · clip · bound · root · charge · firm · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — a price
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. root — the cause
  5. charge — in control
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — obliged
  10. root — of a word
  11. clip — a video
  12. firm — a company
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. firm — decided
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bound — tied together
  17. firm — steady
  18. clip — for paper
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. clip — to cut
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  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