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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. toast — bread
  3. present — a gift
  4. march — music
  5. object — a thing
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. present — the time now
  8. charge — in control
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — a price
  11. pound — a weight
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. object — to protest
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. march — the month
  16. row — a line
  17. object — an aim
  18. row — to paddle
  19. present — there
  20. march — the month
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pound — for dogs

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