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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. cap — of ice
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pop — to visit
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pop — soda
  12. pound — a weight
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pop — music
  23. stem — to come from
  24. nail — for a hammer

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