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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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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: mark · vault · jam · rock · can · row · track · bay

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. row — a line
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. can — to be able to
  8. track — a path
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. track — a song
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. can — a tin
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rock — music
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. can — a tin
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mark — a trace

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