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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. charge — in control
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. drill — army training
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ball — a dance
  16. tube — a container
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rock — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. drill — a practice

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