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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: charge · mouse · staff · fork · pound · pit · court · ruler

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pit — in a race
  13. charge — in control
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of law
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. court — of a king
  24. fork — a garden tool

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