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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. track — a path
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lean — thin
  14. track — a song
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pound — a weight
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chest — of your body
  22. suit — to fit
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lean — to rest against

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