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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cue — for pool
  4. charge — a price
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. charge — in control
  18. pop — soda
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stock — shares
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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