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

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. track — a path
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. snap — to click
  11. track — a song
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. row — a line
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. track — to keep track

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