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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. track — a path
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. stand — to bear
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. nail — for a hammer

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