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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pop — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. track — a song
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. track — to keep track
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — a path
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pop — to visit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pop — soda

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