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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: firm · ground · mug · fork · roll · track · object · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mug — to rob
  3. track — to keep track
  4. object — a thing
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. object — an aim
  7. firm — decided
  8. fork — in a road
  9. object — to protest
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. land — to come down
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. ground — crushed
  15. land — ground
  16. track — a path
  17. roll — a list
  18. ground — the earth
  19. firm — steady
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ground — a position
  23. firm — a company
  24. track — a song

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