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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. firm — a company
  7. track — a song
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. track — a path
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. pound — a weight
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — to trim
  18. firm — decided
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. firm — steady
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. saw — the tool

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