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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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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: hide · mug · track · chip · content · pound · ruler · patient

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mug — a cup
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. content — the amount
  6. mug — a face
  7. track — a song
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. content — happy
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chip — for betting
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pound — a weight
  23. track — a path
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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