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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. object — an aim
  3. charge — a price
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. object — to protest
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. row — a line
  9. press — to push
  10. pound — a weight
  11. firm — decided
  12. object — a thing
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. charge — electricity
  15. press — newspapers
  16. snap — to click
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. press — a publisher
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. charge — in control

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