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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stem — to come from
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. present — the time now
  6. charge — a price
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. present — a gift
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pop — soda
  14. tube — the underground
  15. present — there
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bore — to drill
  19. charge — in control
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. stand — for spectators

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