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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: pitch · chair · mark · track · bear · root · scale · wake

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mark — a grade
  7. root — of a word
  8. wake — a trail
  9. scale — size or range
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. track — a path
  14. bear — the animal
  15. scale — in music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pitch — completely
  19. track — a song
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitch — a sports field

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