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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: track · net · bark · bowl · ball · rash · fan · key

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. net — after costs
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. key — in music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. net — for catching
  14. key — for a lock
  15. track — a song
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rash — a series
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. net — in sport
  23. bark — to shout
  24. fan — a supporter

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