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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: stand · track · chest · prune · mark · mouse · deal · ground

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. track — a path
  3. ground — crushed
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — a trace
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. ground — a position
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. track — to keep track
  14. chest — of your body
  15. prune — to trim
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chest — a box
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. track — a song
  23. chest — of your body
  24. stand — to bear

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