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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rush — hurry
  8. charge — in control
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pop — music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. saw — the tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — thin
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pop — soda
  23. prune — the fruit
  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