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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 124 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. root — the cause
  9. track — to keep track
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. branch — a division
  17. track — a song
  18. root — of a word
  19. tube — a container
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pound — a weight

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