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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · net · firm · arm · land · rock · mate · pound

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rock — music
  3. land — ground
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. firm — steady
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. firm — a company
  8. net — in sport
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. track — a path
  13. land — a country
  14. mate — a friend
  15. track — a song
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pound — a weight
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. firm — decided
  20. mate — to breed
  21. track — to keep track
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. arm — part of the body

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