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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 · stick · court · net · bound · bulb · firm · fine

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. firm — a company
  3. charge — a price
  4. net — for catching
  5. court — of a king
  6. bound — certain
  7. court — for sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. firm — steady
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. charge — in control
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bound — tied together
  15. firm — decided
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. net — after costs
  19. bulb — for light
  20. net — in sport
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — all right
  23. court — of law
  24. fine — high quality

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