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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pop — to visit
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pop — soda
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pound — a weight
  14. charge — a price
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — hurry

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