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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: track · chip · land · mark · pitcher · mouse · foot · bear

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. land — ground
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bear — the animal
  5. land — a country
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. track — a path
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. chip — to eat
  15. land — to come down
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. foot — a measure
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mark — a grade

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