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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: spell · charge · land · dip · firm · last · pop · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. land — a country
  5. last — finally
  6. charge — a price
  7. last — final
  8. land — ground
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pop — soda
  11. firm — steady
  12. charge — in control
  13. land — to come down
  14. firm — decided
  15. spell — magic
  16. charge — electricity
  17. firm — a company
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pop — music
  20. spell — a short time
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pop — to visit
  23. spell — letters
  24. last — to go on

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