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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bank — for money
  10. track — a song
  11. kid — child
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pop — music
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. bank — for money

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