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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pound — a weight
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. firm — a company
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. track — a path

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