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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: suit · track · bark · bat · firm · pitcher · bore · foot

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bore — to drill
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. suit — to fit
  12. track — a song
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. firm — steady
  18. bore — to tire
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. firm — a company
  22. foot — a measure
  23. firm — decided
  24. bat — the animal

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