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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pound — a weight
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. last — final
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. last — finally
  16. rock — music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. last — to go on
  23. vault — a safe
  24. charge — in control

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