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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
468
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 · band · bark · leaves · ball · squash · kick · mug

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bark — to shout
  3. band — a ring
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. track — a song
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. track — to keep track
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kick — in football
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. mug — a face
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ball — a dance
  21. track — a path
  22. mug — a cup
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. squash — to crush

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