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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. current — of water
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. snap — to click
  11. charge — electricity
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. object — an aim
  16. current — happening now
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cap — a lid
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — to protest
  23. current — electric
  24. bowl — a dish

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