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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. charge — in control
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — a price
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rest — a break
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rest — what's left
  16. hand — help
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wake — a trail
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. charge — electricity

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