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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. charge — a price
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. kid — to tease
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pound — a weight
  22. charge — in control
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kid — child

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