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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pitch — completely
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. charge — in control
  13. court — of a king
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. charge — a price
  19. squash — the sport
  20. court — for sport
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. court — of law
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pound — a weight

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