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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. board — a committee
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. track — a song
  10. board — to get on
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. track — a path
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rock — music
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — a stone
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. board — a flat piece

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