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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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468
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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bear — the animal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. charge — a price
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pound — a weight
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stand — to bear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tear — from crying
  22. charge — in control
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — with a leg

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