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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pound — a weight
  3. object — a thing
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. track — a path
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. suit — clothes
  19. track — a song
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pitch — completely

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