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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. can — a tin
  3. track — a song
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — in music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. club — a group
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. track — a path
  13. bound — obliged
  14. scale — size or range
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. club — for golf
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bound — tied together
  24. can — a tin

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