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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: mouse · bark · field · cue · safe · track · coach · tube

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. field — farmland
  4. track — to keep track
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cue — a hint
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. tube — a container
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. track — a song
  15. field — for sport
  16. bark — to shout
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. track — a path
  23. field — a subject
  24. safe — a strongbox

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