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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pound — a weight
  5. track — to keep track
  6. field — farmland
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. field — a subject
  16. kick — in football
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. field — for sport
  24. kick — a thrill

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