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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. suit — clothes
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. suit — to fit
  11. file — a document
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. suit — in cards
  17. file — a tool
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stock — shares
  21. bark — to shout
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stock — goods

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