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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. file — a document
  4. track — a path
  5. file — a line of people
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bass — low music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ball — a great time
  12. band — a ring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. band — a music group
  19. bass — the fish
  20. kick — in football
  21. track — to keep track
  22. file — a tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. track — a song

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