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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. object — a thing
  4. toast — bread
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. track — a path
  12. pound — a weight
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. object — an aim
  19. track — a song
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — to keep track
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. trunk — of a car

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