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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. lean — thin
  9. bass — the fish
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bass — low music
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bat — the animal

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