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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. firm — steady
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — a stone
  5. firm — decided
  6. charge — electricity
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. firm — a company
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. race — a contest
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. rock — music
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. race — humankind
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. charge — a price
  24. game — wild animals

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