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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. object — an aim
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — a song
  10. fork — in a road
  11. drill — army training
  12. object — to protest
  13. drill — a practice
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pop — soda
  19. drill — the tool
  20. object — a thing
  21. track — a path
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pop — music
  24. deal — an agreement

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