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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pound — a weight
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. march — music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. march — the month
  15. charge — in control
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. can — to be able to
  19. charge — electricity
  20. march — the month
  21. charge — a price
  22. can — a tin
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pound — to hit hard

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