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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pound — a weight
  6. court — of law
  7. pop — music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pop — soda
  10. charge — in control
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. court — for sport
  13. charge — a price
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pop — to visit
  21. court — of a king
  22. charge — electricity
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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