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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. hand — help
  5. wake — a trail
  6. suit — in cards
  7. charge — a price
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — clothes
  10. net — after costs
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. net — for catching
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. net — in sport
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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