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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. drill — army training
  6. track — a path
  7. pop — music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pop — soda
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. drill — a practice
  14. kid — child
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bark — to shout
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. pop — to visit
  23. kid — to tease
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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