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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: field · pass · track · mouse · bark · kick · rock · pitch

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. field — a subject
  3. pass — a permit
  4. kick — in football
  5. field — for sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pitch — completely
  9. track — a path
  10. rock — a stone
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rock — music
  17. field — farmland
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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