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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · pound · charge · pop · fork · tube · pitcher · suit

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. tube — a container
  7. fork — in a road
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. suit — in cards
  13. charge — electricity
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. charge — in control
  20. pop — soda
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. pound — a weight
  24. charge — a price

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