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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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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: firm · board · track · mouse · mate · pound · fan · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. track — a song
  7. pit — a hole
  8. firm — steady
  9. board — to get on
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. board — a committee
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. track — a path
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mate — to breed
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. track — to keep track

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