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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. track — a song
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ground — a position
  8. track — a path
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. charge — electricity
  13. suit — clothes
  14. charge — in control
  15. track — to keep track
  16. charge — a price
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pound — for dogs

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