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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. swing — in golf
  6. charge — in control
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. swing — music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rash — a series
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pass — a permit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rash — on the skin

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