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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. craft — a skill
  5. firm — steady
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. capital — money
  9. track — a song
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. firm — a company
  16. bank — of a river
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bank — for money
  21. capital — a city
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. firm — decided
  24. craft — boats

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