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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. firm — decided
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. field — farmland
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pound — a weight
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. field — for sport
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. field — a subject

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