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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. track — a path
  4. present — the time now
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pound — a weight
  7. suit — to fit
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rule — government
  16. land — a country
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. track — a song
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rule — a law
  22. land — ground
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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