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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pop — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. firm — decided
  6. rest — a break
  7. current — of water
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. firm — a company
  17. charge — in control
  18. pop — soda
  19. charge — a price
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pop — to visit
  22. firm — steady
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fall — the season

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