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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. track — a path
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. hand — help
  9. band — a ring
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. band — a music group
  13. prune — to trim
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pound — a weight
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. vault — a safe
  19. track — a song
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. saw — the tool
  24. prune — to trim

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