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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. charge — electricity
  3. spring — of water
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. charge — a price
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spring — a coil
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kick — in football
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. spring — the season
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. charge — in control
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. jam — a tight spot

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