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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: pound · net · track · rule · hide · degree · mark · mouse

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. rule — a law
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. degree — an amount
  9. net — in sport
  10. pound — a weight
  11. track — a song
  12. degree — from a university
  13. mark — a trace
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. degree — temperature
  17. net — after costs
  18. track — to keep track
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. net — for catching
  22. mark — a grade
  23. track — a path
  24. rule — government

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