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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bore — to drill
  10. field — farmland
  11. craft — boats
  12. field — for sport
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. track — a path
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. field — a subject
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. track — a song
  23. pass — a permit
  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