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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pound — a weight
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. track — a path
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. track — a song
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something

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