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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. dip — to sink
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. track — a path
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — a song
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. deal — to handle
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. can — a tin
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. can — to be able to
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. track — to keep track

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