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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: pound · swing · charge · tear · firm · pass · lash · board

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. firm — a company
  4. charge — a price
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pass — a permit
  10. swing — to play on
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. board — to get on
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. swing — music
  17. firm — steady
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. tear — to rip
  21. firm — decided
  22. board — a committee
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — an eyelash

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