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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. object — to protest
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. object — an aim
  6. staff — a stick
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. staff — employees
  9. pop — music
  10. staff — employees
  11. pop — to visit
  12. capital — a city
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. capital — money
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. charge — a price
  20. pop — soda
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. charge — in control
  24. object — a thing

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