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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: prune · can · track · present · mouse · wound · mark · object

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wound — an injury
  3. can — to be able to
  4. object — a thing
  5. wound — an injury
  6. present — there
  7. mark — a trace
  8. track — a song
  9. can — a tin
  10. present — the time now
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — a gift
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. object — an aim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. object — to protest

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