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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bass — the fish
  3. ground — the earth
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ground — a position
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. track — a song
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — to keep track
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. track — a path
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pound — a weight

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