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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. charge — electricity
  5. present — there
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. scale — size or range
  10. charge — in control
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. present — the time now
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. scale — in music
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pound — a weight
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. charge — a price
  24. present — a gift

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