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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: suit · ground · safe · mouse · pound · race · charge · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ground — crushed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ground — a position
  12. charge — a price
  13. suit — in cards
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ground — the earth
  17. charge — in control
  18. race — humankind
  19. chair — a leader
  20. race — the arms race
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. race — a contest

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