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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: track · mark · calf · staff · wound · jam · pitcher · suit

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. track — a song
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mark — a trace
  7. staff — employees
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. staff — a stick
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. track — a path
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. staff — employees
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. track — to keep track
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pitcher — a jug

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