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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 116 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. charge — a price
  3. rock — a stone
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mark — a trace
  6. squash — the sport
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. squash — to crush
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. charge — electricity
  24. staff — employees

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