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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. track — to keep track
  4. squash — the sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. track — a song
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. track — a path
  18. pop — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. squash — to crush
  24. firm — a company

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