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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. key — in music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. net — in sport
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. net — after costs
  11. track — a path
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. net — for catching
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. track — a song
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pound — a weight
  22. key — the most important part
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. key — for a lock

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