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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. present — a gift
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pound — a weight
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. present — there
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lean — thin
  18. track — a path
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. degree — from a university
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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