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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 120 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 · dip · hide · perch · bark · court · squash · fork

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. court — for sport
  3. dip — to sink
  4. track — to keep track
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. court — of law
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a song
  11. fork — in a road
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. court — of a king
  16. squash — the sport
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. track — a path
  24. dip — to dunk

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