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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  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. fine — all right
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. craft — a skill
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pitch — completely
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — a position
  20. craft — boats
  21. pound — a weight
  22. fine — high quality
  23. deal — to handle
  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