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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. rock — music
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. lean — to bend
  5. charge — in control
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rest — a break
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lean — thin
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. charge — a price
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ground — crushed

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