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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pound — a weight
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bark — to shout
  5. shower — rain
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. shower — to wash
  8. key — in music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. track — a path
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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