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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. firm — steady
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. track — a song
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. spring — of water
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. tube — a container
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spring — the season
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — a line
  22. track — to keep track
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. tube — the underground

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