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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 120 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. row — a line
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. charge — electricity
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cue — for pool
  11. foot — a measure
  12. key — for a lock
  13. row — to paddle
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — in music
  18. charge — a price
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — in control
  24. cue — a hint

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