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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 · key · net · firm · content · jam · mug · track

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. net — after costs
  3. firm — decided
  4. track — a song
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. net — in sport
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mug — a cup
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. key — in music
  12. track — a path
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bark — to shout
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mug — a face
  22. net — for catching
  23. content — happy
  24. firm — a company

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