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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: pitch · bay · root · bark · track · saw · cap · land

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — of a word
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pitch — completely
  6. root — the cause
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. land — a country
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cap — of ice
  12. root — of a plant
  13. track — a song
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bark — to shout
  19. land — to come down
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. land — ground
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cap — a lid
  24. saw — the tool

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