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

Word bank: fork · wave · pound · shower · foot · march · pass · charge

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pound — a weight
  9. march — the month
  10. shower — rain
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. march — the month
  19. charge — a price
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. march — music
  24. foot — the bottom

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