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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pop — soda
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lie — to recline
  6. track — a song
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. present — there
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pop — to visit
  12. charge — in control
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. present — the time now
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kick — in football
  19. pop — music
  20. present — a gift
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. track — a path
  24. charge — a price

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