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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pound — a weight
  3. content — the amount
  4. fall — the season
  5. charge — electricity
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rash — hasty
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bound — certain
  13. rash — a series
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. charge — in control
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. content — happy
  19. charge — a price
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. current — happening now
  22. fall — to drop
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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