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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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468
Word bank
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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pound — a weight
  5. track — a path
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. track — a song
  11. root — the cause
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pop — music
  14. season — of the year
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. root — of a word
  18. track — to keep track
  19. season — in sport
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. key — the most important part

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