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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. can — a tin
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mate — a friend
  8. charge — a price
  9. cue — for pool
  10. chest — a box
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chest — of your body
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bark — to shout
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mate — to breed
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bass — low music

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