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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. track — a path
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. kick — in football
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. track — to keep track
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mark — a grade
  14. chest — a box
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. firm — steady
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. track — a song
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pound — for dogs

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