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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 120 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pound — a weight
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wound — an injury
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. charge — in control
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ball — a round shape

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