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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. last — finally
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. track — to keep track
  6. firm — steady
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. board — to get on
  9. track — a path
  10. last — final
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. last — to go on
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. firm — decided
  18. board — a committee
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. firm — a company
  22. track — a song
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pound — a weight

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