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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. object — a thing
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. charge — in control
  8. object — an aim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. charge — a price
  16. pound — a weight
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. club — for dancing
  20. object — to protest
  21. club — for golf
  22. charge — electricity
  23. club — a group
  24. bat — for baseball

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