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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: last · bark · roll · can · mark · track · nail · mouse

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. last — finally
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. track — a song
  9. last — to go on
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. last — final
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. track — a path
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. can — a tin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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