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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bass — low music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rest — a break
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bass — the fish
  8. charge — in control
  9. court — of a king
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rest — what's left
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to click
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. charge — a price
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pass — a permit
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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