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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. track — a path
  3. court — for sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spring — the season
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. court — of a king
  10. spring — of water
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pound — a weight
  15. track — a song
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. court — of law
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. spring — a coil
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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