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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. last — to go on
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. track — a song
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — to keep track
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. last — final
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. track — a path
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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