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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. drill — army training
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pound — a weight
  5. tear — from crying
  6. charge — a price
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rule — government
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. tear — to rip
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rule — a law
  21. drill — a practice
  22. foot — a measure
  23. band — a music group
  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