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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. net — after costs
  6. lean — to bend
  7. charge — in control
  8. net — in sport
  9. pound — a weight
  10. charge — electricity
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. charge — a price
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. net — for catching
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fork — to eat with

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