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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: cap · bay · racket · rush · roll · track · pop · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. track — a path
  15. pop — soda
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pop — music
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — a list

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