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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 124 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — a weight
  7. face — to point toward
  8. track — a path
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — to shout
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mug — a face
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. face — to confront
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pitch — completely
  22. tube — a container
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pound — for dogs

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