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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. object — to protest
  3. pop — soda
  4. pound — a weight
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — in control
  7. object — a thing
  8. ball — a great time
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. charge — a price
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. object — an aim
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pop — to visit
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pop — music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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