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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. track — a path
  3. pound — a weight
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stand — to bear
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. field — a subject
  12. mark — a trace
  13. field — for sport
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. field — farmland
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. track — a song
  23. sharp — clever
  24. vault — a safe

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