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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
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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: pound · last · charge · spring · pass · can · pop · fine

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. last — to go on
  3. fine — all right
  4. can — a tin
  5. spring — of water
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pop — soda
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. pop — to visit
  12. can — a tin
  13. pop — music
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. spring — a coil
  16. last — final
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pass — a permit
  20. charge — electricity
  21. can — to be able to
  22. last — finally
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. spring — the season

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