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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mug — a face
  7. club — a group
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. branch — a division
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. club — for golf
  14. track — a song
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. track — a path
  18. club — for dancing
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bowl — to roll

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