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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mine — for digging
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. charge — electricity
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. charge — a price
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ground — a position
  15. charge — in control
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mug — a cup
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. mouse — for a computer

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