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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. track — a song
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. pound — a weight
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. staff — a stick
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. track — to keep track
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bat — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. track — a path
  23. bark — to shout
  24. suit — in cards

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