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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · land · pound · rock · chair · can · club · charge

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pound — a weight
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. club — a group
  8. charge — a price
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. charge — in control
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rock — music
  15. can — a tin
  16. charge — electricity
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — a stone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. club — for golf

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