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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — a path
  7. drill — the tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ball — a great time
  10. can — a tin
  11. content — the amount
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. pitch — completely
  16. content — happy
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pound — a weight

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