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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. can — a tin
  3. object — to protest
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — an aim
  7. key — for a lock
  8. track — a path
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. object — a thing
  16. track — a song
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — the most important part
  19. can — a tin
  20. hand — help
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hand — in cards
  24. key — in music

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