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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — a weight
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. charge — in control
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. tube — a container
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. charge — a price
  13. foot — a measure
  14. spring — the season
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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