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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 124 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. track — a path
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. track — a song
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — for measuring

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