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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pound — a weight
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. charge — a price
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. rest — a break
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — in control
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — electricity
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. stand — to bear
  24. present — the time now

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