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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: mark · land · pit · pound · board · deal · charge · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pit — in a race
  3. land — ground
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. board — a committee
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. land — a country
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. charge — a price
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. board — to get on
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. deal — to handle
  21. land — to come down
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mark — a trace
  24. charge — in control

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