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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
468
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: march · pitch · craft · root · object · track · bark · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bark — to shout
  4. march — music
  5. object — an aim
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. craft — a skill
  11. root — the cause
  12. object — to protest
  13. march — the month
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. craft — boats
  18. mug — a cup
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a path
  21. object — a thing
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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