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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. key — in music
  4. mate — to breed
  5. track — a path
  6. bark — to shout
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — a committee
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. track — a song
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pound — a weight
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stand — to bear
  22. key — the most important part
  23. board — to get on
  24. mate — a friend

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