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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
468
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: leaves · object · game · cold · track · pound · jam · cabinet

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. track — a song
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — a thing
  9. game — wild animals
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pound — a weight
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cold — not warm
  16. track — a path
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. cold — an illness
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. pound — to hit hard

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