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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. net — after costs
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rock — music
  8. bound — certain
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rock — a stone
  13. kick — in football
  14. net — for catching
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bound — obliged
  17. charge — in control
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bound — tied together
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitcher — a jug

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