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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. track — a song
  3. object — to protest
  4. track — a path
  5. ball — a dance
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. object — an aim
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. object — a thing
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — in music
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pound — to hit hard

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