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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 · jam · bark · track · mouse · craft · ground · stock

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. ground — the earth
  3. track — to keep track
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. craft — boats
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stock — goods
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ground — crushed
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. track — a path
  17. stock — shares
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ground — a position
  20. track — a song
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mouse — the animal

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