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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: pound · track · suit · bay · ball · calf · bat · saw

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ball — a dance
  4. track — a path
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — to fit
  12. saw — the tool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ball — a great time
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. track — a song

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