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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. firm — a company
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. charge — in control
  12. pound — a weight
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. kick — in football
  16. firm — decided
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — a practice
  22. charge — a price
  23. pass — a permit
  24. charge — electricity

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