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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. game — a match
  3. current — of water
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pound — a weight
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. current — happening now
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. charge — a price
  12. current — electric
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. shower — to wash
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. object — a thing
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. object — an aim
  24. shower — rain

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