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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. track — a song
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. object — to protest
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. track — a path
  12. land — a country
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. object — an aim
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rock — music
  18. object — a thing
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pound — a weight
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. track — to keep track

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