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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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Word bank
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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: spring · track · pound · club · face · pop · safe · object

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pop — soda
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. club — for golf
  5. face — to confront
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. track — a path
  8. pop — to visit
  9. object — an aim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spring — the season
  12. object — a thing
  13. face — part of the head
  14. spring — a coil
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pop — music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. track — a song
  19. pound — a weight
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — to keep track
  22. club — for dancing
  23. spring — of water
  24. safe — out of danger

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