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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rock — a stone
  12. content — happy
  13. rock — music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. swing — in golf
  16. content — the amount
  17. swing — music
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stock — goods
  20. charge — a price
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pit — a hole

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