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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 116 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: bark · row · suit · bay · firm · track · pop · cell

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. track — a song
  4. firm — a company
  5. suit — to fit
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bark — to shout
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. suit — clothes
  11. firm — steady
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — soda
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. track — a path
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. row — a line
  23. firm — decided
  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