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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: mate · net · charge · club · pound · rock · firm · wind

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. firm — steady
  5. club — for golf
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. net — for catching
  9. mate — a friend
  10. club — a group
  11. firm — decided
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. net — after costs
  15. mate — to breed
  16. charge — a price
  17. rock — music
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wind — moving air
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wind — moving air

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