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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. rock — music
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. branch — a division
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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