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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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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: jam · bark · staff · object · track · can · racket · bass

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. staff — a stick
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. track — a song
  9. bass — low music
  10. can — a tin
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. can — a tin
  19. staff — employees
  20. object — to protest
  21. bark — to shout
  22. track — a path
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. staff — employees

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