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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: mark · bass · leaves · club · track · pound · squash · bay

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. track — a path
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. track — a song
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bass — low music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pound — a weight
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mark — a grade
  17. club — a group
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — for dancing
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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