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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. capital — a city
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. capital — money
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ground — a position
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bulb — for light

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