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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. present — the time now
  3. bass — low music
  4. present — a gift
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mate — to breed
  13. charge — in control
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. wake — a trail
  19. present — there
  20. charge — a price
  21. rest — a break
  22. pound — a weight
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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