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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · chip · pound · ruler · wave · mate

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. track — to keep track
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mate — a partner
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. track — a path
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pound — a weight
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. track — a song
  18. wave — with your hand

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