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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. charge — electricity
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. chip — for betting
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. charge — a price
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. charge — in control
  21. chip — to eat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. scale — in music

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