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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: track · bear · pound · bank · foot · bore · plane · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — of a river
  3. track — to keep track
  4. foot — a measure
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. track — a path
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pound — a weight
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bank — for money
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bore — to tire
  18. track — a song
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bank — for money
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bear — the animal

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