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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitch — completely
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. can — a tin
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pop — soda
  8. kick — in football
  9. charge — a price
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. kid — child
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. can — a tin
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. charge — electricity
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kid — to tease
  24. jam — in traffic

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