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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 116 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 · stand · key · calf · bowl · present · bat · wake

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. track — a path
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. present — a gift
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. track — a song
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. key — for a lock
  16. present — there
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. key — in music
  20. bat — the animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bowl — a dish

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