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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 116 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: bulb · pop · bound · pound · rest · row · charge · ground

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — in control
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — certain
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — tied together
  11. charge — a price
  12. pop — soda
  13. pound — a weight
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pop — music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rest — a break
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ground — a position
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bound — obliged

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