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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bound — certain
  3. mug — a cup
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mug — to rob
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ground — the earth
  10. track — to keep track
  11. ground — a position
  12. mug — a face
  13. chair — a leader
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. track — a song
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ground — crushed
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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