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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bank — of a river
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. track — a path
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. root — the cause
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. root — of a plant
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. content — happy
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. track — a song
  19. pound — a weight
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — to fit
  23. content — the amount
  24. root — of a word

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