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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · board · perch · wake · pitch · mug · cold

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cold — an illness
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. track — a path
  8. perch — the fish
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. track — a song
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cold — not warm
  15. mug — a face
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. board — a committee
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mug — a cup
  23. track — to keep track
  24. board — a flat piece

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