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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: track · march · patient · chip · rush · pound · bowl · rest

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rest — a break
  10. march — music
  11. track — a path
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a song
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rush — to hurry

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