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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: bark · calf · pitcher · suit · bowl · track · rush · bear

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rush — hurry
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. suit — in cards
  13. track — a path
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. rush — to hurry

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