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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: dip · patient · stick · bark · mate · deal · mug · track

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. track — to keep track
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bark — to shout
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. dip — to sink
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — a song
  21. mug — a face
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mate — to breed
  24. track — a path

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