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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · stick · bear · game · object · shower · bay · court

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. track — a path
  9. court — for sport
  10. track — a song
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. track — to keep track
  17. court — of law
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. court — of a king
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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