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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: bass · toast · content · mark · perch · mug · charge · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. content — happy
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mug — a cup
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. charge — a price
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. perch — the fish
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. charge — in control
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mug — a face
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mark — a grade
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mug — to rob
  24. toast — bread

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