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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pound — a weight
  4. charge — in control
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. row — a line
  15. charge — a price
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ball — a dance
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pound — to hit hard

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