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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. key — in music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. key — the most important part
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. branch — a division
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. vault — a safe
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bowl — a dish

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