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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bulb — for light
  4. last — finally
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. last — final
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. track — a song
  9. last — to go on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pound — a weight
  18. track — a path
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bulb — for light

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