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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — electricity
  4. club — a group
  5. pound — a weight
  6. club — for dancing
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. snap — to click
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — a price
  12. cue — a hint
  13. hand — help
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — in cards
  17. club — for golf
  18. charge — in control
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bulb — of a plant

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