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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cell · deal · object · track · bear · pop · game · board

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. object — to protest
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pop — soda
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. game — wild animals
  8. cell — a phone
  9. board — a committee
  10. object — a thing
  11. board — to get on
  12. cell — in biology
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. track — a song
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. track — to keep track
  22. deal — to handle
  23. game — a match
  24. object — an aim

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