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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. charge — a price
  3. swing — music
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. march — music
  6. charge — in control
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pound — a weight
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cue — a hint
  11. object — an aim
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. land — to come down
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. march — the month
  16. cue — a signal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. charge — electricity
  19. land — a country
  20. object — a thing
  21. swing — in golf
  22. land — ground
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. object — to protest

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