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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. craft — boats
  12. fall — to drop
  13. track — a song
  14. pit — in a race
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fall — the season
  17. pit — a hole
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. craft — a skill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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