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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 116 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — a weight
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. track — a song
  6. tube — a container
  7. track — a path
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fork — in a road
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. tube — the underground
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bound — certain
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bound — tied together

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