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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: bark · can · bat · lean · mouse · firm · pass · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. track — a song
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. lean — thin
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lean — to bend
  7. can — a tin
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. can — a tin
  11. firm — steady
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mouse — the animal
  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