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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wound — an injury
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. charge — a price
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pass — a permit
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wound — an injury
  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