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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pound — a weight
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. track — a song
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. chip — for betting
  24. track — to keep track

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