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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 120 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: pass · track · bark · mark · pitch · perch · mug · fork

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mug — a face
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bark — to shout
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pass — a permit
  16. track — a path
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. track — a song
  22. perch — the fish
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fork — to eat with

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