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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 · deal · spring · perch · toast · mug · hide · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mug — to rob
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. toast — bread
  9. deal — to handle
  10. spring — the season
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — a path
  15. mug — a face
  16. pound — a weight
  17. perch — the fish
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. spring — of water
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. spring — a coil

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