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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. foot — a measure
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. net — in sport
  7. game — a match
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a great time
  10. game — wild animals
  11. net — after costs
  12. charge — electricity
  13. net — for catching
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. content — happy
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. content — the amount
  22. charge — in control
  23. ball — a dance
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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